Rebecca and the Half Blood Prince
by RogueMetamorph
Summary: It is now Rebecca Black's sixth year and new things are happening to both her and the gang. A new potions master, new boy and girlfriends, new feelings, and new stakes. What will happen this year that will change them all forever? Harry/OC finally.
1. A Charming Home

**Author's Note: I don't own Harry Potter 1-7 or anything else, except maybe Rebeccca. **

**I loved this movie, it was cute and hilarious and Ron finally gets a girl... even thought she's a bit of an obssessive pysco*. In this one, there is a lot more *Third Person* so you get to see a bit of what everyone else it thinking, especially Harry. **

**I hope you enjoy reading my version of Half-Blood Prince! Have fun!**

* * *

><p>Name: Rebecca Adhara Black<p>

Parents: Sirius Black and Ambrosia Sherwood

Stepfather: Gregory Sherwood

Gifts: Witch and a Metamorphmagus

Blood-Status: Pure Blood

Status: Well off

**True Features:**

Hair: Long Curly/Untidy Dark Brown

Eyes: Blue

**Current Features:**

Hair: Long Wavy Brown shades

Eyes: Gold

Age: 16

Home: Grimmauld Place, Order of the Phoenix Headquarters

School: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

House: Gryffindor

Patronus: Wolf

Friends: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger

Amount of times she cried over her dead parents: Tons

* * *

><p><em><strong>Dear Rebecca,<br>**__**I have a favor of great importance to ask of you. I will arrive at Grimmauld Place around ten o'clock Tuesday night. Have your bags packed and ready.  
><strong>__**A. Dumbledore**_

I patted the unfamiliar owl sitting on the window sill affectionately before it flew off and a flurry of feathers. What kind of favor would Professor Dumbledore possibly want from me? I mean, the most important things about me were that I was a Metamorphmagus and that I was 'secretly' the daughter of the dead Sirius Black and Ambrosia Sherwood.

"Who's it from?" Tonks asked as she tried to read it over my shoulder.

"Dumbledore. He wants so sort of favor," I told her as I sat back down at the table, sitting across from Lupin.

"Did he say what it was?" Lupin asked.

I shook my head.

Lupin sighed and then shrugged.

"Whatever it is it must be important," Tonks put in a she waved her wands at the dishes in the sink, causing a large amount of bubbles to appear and overflow onto the floor. "Fiddlesticks!" she exclaimed, waving her wand again to send a dish flying across a room and into the wall.

"It can't be that important if he's asking me. If it was important he'd go the Harry. He's everyone's first choice," I muttered.

"That's not true," Tonks said shaking her head as more bubbles fell to the floor, making her hair turn orange as she glared at the rebel bubbles.

"It was for Sirius," I muttered, crossing my arms on the table and setting my chin on them.

"Don't say that," Lupin said tapping me on the nose the way you do with a bad puppy. "Padfoot loved you more than anything. When he heard that you had gone to the Ministry, he begged us to let him go. He wanted to make sure you were safe, not just Harry,"

I looked up at Lupin. It was always like this around Lupin, him always finding a way to make me feel better, but I found that my happy feelings always dissipated when he left the room. I wanted to believe him, but how was I any better than Harry Potter.

"If you don't believe him, think about this," Tonks interrupted my thinking as she walked over, leaving the sink to do as it would. "Harry Potter is the son of his best friend and famous," she said holding up one hand like she was weighing it. "On the other hand," she raised her other hand. "You are his daughter and are a beautiful girl version of him and Ambrosia put together. You are also the daughter of the only woman he ever loved and ever loved him. You are also brave, wonderful and a Metamorphmagus,"

I watched her as she smiled at me. She was being a bit meladramatic between the two descriptions, but at least she admitted to what I had been saying all along. And it helped.

"Thanks, Tonks," I smiled, standing up to hug her.

"Anytime, Becca," she smiled, hugging me back, using the nickname she had given me.

"What did she say that I didn't?" Lupin exclaimed, looking confused.

"She fought for both sides of the argument," I told him with a smile.

Lupin looked confused, which only sent Tonks and I into a fit of giggles.

* * *

><p>The next day Tonks left, looking rather depressed especially since her hair wasn't it's typical bubble-gum pink color, but instead was a mousy brown, similar to Lupin's hair color. The truth was that Tonks and Lupin had been arguing that night, I had heard it, though I hadn't heard what exactly it was about, but apparently it hadn't gone well for either of them since Lupin also looked more sick than usual.<p>

Now it was just Lupin and I in the big house… well, us, my grandmothers' portrait and Kreacher. It was typically quiet unless we had visitors or if my grandmother's picture got the curtains open.

During my time there, I spent a lot of my time exploring the house and asking Lupin questions about my parents and even some about spells. I also did a lot of reading, anything I could find in the house really, even resorting to readying of Tonks' romance novels that she had left behind in the room she often used when she came over. But most of time was spent listening to the small muggle MP3 player my mum had bought me for Christmas on my first year. It had a lot of good songs in it which I enjoyed singing to.

After a week of quiet, Lupin left, having been given a job by Dumbledore to undertake. He didn't tell me what it was, but just told me that he'd send me as many letters as he could.

"You've still got family, Rebecca," Lupin had told me firmly. "You've got me, and Tonks at the very least," He quickly kissed the top of my head. "And I'll always be here for you, I made your mum a promise,"

And with that, he was gone.

I sighed and walked back upstairs.

**(AN: *Am Going To Fix*)**


	2. A Favor

The next day was Tuesday. Thank the Gods.

I changed my appearance, though it had gotten harder to do lately, and harder to control. Lately, because of my emotional distress, it was much harder to keep my hair from changing with my emotions. Typically I had better control that to let it do that on it's own. So now I tried changing into the girl everyone knew at Hogwarts, changing nearly everything about me.

My hair changed from being long dark brown messy curls, to long easily kept light brown waves. My eyes burned as the changed from my mothers blue eyes to my step grandmother's golden eyes and my face became a but angular and I gained a few inches in height.

I hated this. Pretending I was someone I wasn't.

So, I changed a few things like I had last year. I colored my hair, instead of it's shades of brown, ranging from light to very dark, I changed it so that it was completely dark brown, but leaving it wavy and manageable. I mad my face exactly how mine was supposed to be.

I gave myself a once over and smile. I knew people would still be able to recognize me since the last two years had been used to slowly change my appearance so that I didn't have to rely on my fake appearance my murderous stepfather had given me years ago. I was actually quite gorgeous by the end on my experimental morphing. (Author's Note: She's the spitting image of a young Lucy Griffith by the way)

I then packed my black satchel my mum had given me two years ago with my trunk and anything else I might need. I then went to the window, letting Athena out of so that I'd have her at Hogwarts.

As I did so, I heard a soft pop in front of the house. I looked down into the street to find Dumbledore and Harry standing out front, Harry looking a bit shaken, even from this distance.

I smiled happily and shut the window and ran down the stairs.

"_What's that racket_?" I heard my grandmother shout from behind her curtains which had opened an inch after I had sped by. I ran back over to her and opened the curtains to peak in and smile.

"Just some more traitorous half-breeds, Grandmother," I smiled. "Go back to sleep," And with that, I shut the curtains, putting a safety pin on the curtains to keep them closed.

I then resumed running down the stairs at full speed until I slid across the floor down the hall until I nearly slammed into the front door. At the sound of a soft knock, I opened it to find Dumbledore and Harry standing there, Harry smiling brightly at me. I couldn't help but notice differences in Harry's stature. He had grown at least a foot taller and his hair had gotten a bit longer.

"Rebecca!" Harry smiled, moving past Dumbledore to give me a big hug.

"Nice to see you too, boy wonder," I chuckled, burying my face in his shoulder as I squeezed him tightly. I pulled back and smiled at Dumbledore putting my hand out to greet him. "How are you, Professor?" I asked.

"Very well," Dumbledore smiled, shaking my right hand with his left, which made it an awkward shake. But then I caught sight of his right had, most of the fingers were black and shriveled, looking like it was decaying while still attached.

"So," I began awkwardly. "What is the favor you want?" I asked, trying not to look at his shriveled hand.

"Unfailing kind, just like you mother," Dumbledore smiled at me. "Do you have your bags?"

"Yep," I smiled leaning over to pick up my black satchel behind the door, holding it out for him to see. "All packed,"

"Right then," Dumbledore smiled before turning and walking out into the street, leaving Harry and I to follow. I stepped outside and closed the door behind me before turning back to Harry, finding him smiling at me.

"Why are you smiling?" I asked him.

"I'm not smiling," Harry muttered before he quickly walked off after Dumbledore. I rolled my eyes and followed until I stood next to him.

"Take my arm, would you?" Dumbledore asked, holding up both of his arms.

Harry looked very reluctant to, but did as he was told. I looked from Dumbledore's calm face and back to his arm before taking it.

The world suddenly spun, rolled over, flopped and was twisted as my body was forced into a small tube before it was forced out again until I was standing like I has a second ago. I felt my stomach heave as I ran to a nearby post which I held onto, trying to keep myself standing as I leaned over, feeling the need to vomit as my mouth watered like crazy.

A hand held my hair back from my face and another rubbed my back as I shut my eyes and prayed to the gods that I didn't vomit and that this horrible feeling would go away. I was almost completely sure that both my face and hair was as pail as snow at the moment.

"Can we _not_ do that again?" I moaned.

I could hear both Harry and Dumbledore chuckle at my comment which made my hair turn bright red against my will.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked as I stood slowly.

"Peachy," I murmured sarcastically.

Dumbledore started walking, and I unwilling followed, hoping my stomach would right itself by the time we got to our destination.

"Welcome to the charming villages of Budleigh Babberton," Dumbledore began as we walked in front of a house surrounded by tall hedges. "I assume, right about now, the both of you must be wondering why I brought you here. Am I right?"

I chuckled and shook my head as Harry answered for me. "Actually, sir, after all these years, I just sort of go with it,"

We all grew quiet as we all spotted the door to the house was off it's hinges and nearly broken. It looked as if someone had gotten here before us.

"Wands out," Dumbledore told us.

I pulled my long black and burgundy wand out of my bag and held it at the ready as we entered the broken dwelling. We all entered slowly, me last since Harry kept making sure that I was behind him. Boys.

"Horace?" Dumbledore called. "Horace?"

I looked around as we entered the living room which looked like someone had took a whisk to it, looking as if it had been scrambled. Harry walked behind Dumbledore until he stopped, looking down at a Daily Prophet newspaper with him on the front with the head line; 'Harry Potter: Chosen One?' As I looked at it, I watched in horror as red droplets appeared on the page.

Harry then aimed his wand upward to fine a large amount of, what I could only assume to be blood, dripping down from the ceiling. Harry reached for his forehead them, only to be stopped as Dumbledore wiped a bit of the blood off his forehead to taste it.

Again my stomach lurched, but not as horribly as before.

Understanding dawned on Dumbledore's face then, as he turned to look at a chair in the corner with a pair of shoes sticking out the bottom, that had managed to be untouched by the raid. Dumbledore crept toward it slowly before he poked it.

I jumped backwards, nearly tripping over debris as a head popped out of the top of the chair, yelling; "Merlin's beard! No need to disfigure me, Albus!" The chair stood, turning into an older man in a bright blue robe.

"I must say you make a very convincing armchair, Horace," Dumbledore smiled as he stepped back.

"It's all in the upholstery. I come by the stuffing naturally," the man chuckled as he patted his belly. "What gave me away?" he asked.

"Dragon's blood," Dumbledore said, pointing his wand back toward the ceiling where it was still dripping.

"And the fact that you were the only thing in the room that wasn't destroyed," I added.

The man looked back as Harry and I and squinted until he smiled. "Oh, what have we here?" he asked.

"Oh, yes, introductions," Dumbledore smiled. "Harry, Rebecca. I'd like you to meet an old friend and colleague of mine, Horace Slughorn,"

Mr. Slughorn waved to Harry and I happily.

"Horace, this young lady is Miss Rebecca Black, Sirius Black's long lost daughter," Dumbledore introduced me, and suddenly I knew a bit of what that favor was he had been asking for. Mr. Slughorn's eyes widened as he looked at me, looking extremely happy at the news, which would not have been my guess if anyone just found out who I actually was.

"I knew your grandfather, Orion Black. Had one of the largest libraries of Dark Arts books I'd ever seen," Mr. Slughorn told me with a smile.

"And you know who this is," Dumbledore smiled as he gestured to Harry.

"Harry Potter," Mr. Slughorn nodded.

"So what is with all the theatrics, Horace?" Dumbledore asked. "You weren't, by any chance, waiting for someone else were you?"

"Someone else? I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Mr. Slughorn said as he looked about the room carefully before his eyes fell on Dumbledore. "All right, the Death Eaters have been trying to recruit me for over a year. Do you know what that's like? You can only say no so many times, so I never stay anywhere more than a week. The muggles who own this are in the Canary Islands,"

"Well, I do think we should put things back in order for them, don't you think?" Dumbledore asked.

With a wave of his wand, the room quickly put itself back together, things fixing themselves, lights coming back on, things returning to their spots until a small crystal returned to it's spot.

"Well that was fun," Dumbledore smiled, making me chuckle. "Do you mind if I use the loo?"

"No, of course," Mr. Slughorn said, gesturing towards where I assumed the loo was. "Don't think I don't know why you're here, Albus," Mr. Slughorn suddenly called after him. "The answer's still no. Absolutely and unequivocally, no," But Dumbledore had already left the room.

There was a long awkward silence as the three of us just stood there, looking at each other until Mr. Slughorn spoke.

"You're very like your father, you know," Mr. Slughorn commented, looking at Harry. "Except for the eyes of course. You have your-"

"My mother's eyes. Yeah," Harry interrupted, nodding.

"Lily. Lovely Lily,' Mr. Slughorn smiled. "She was exceedingly bright, your mother. Even more impressive when one considers she was Muggle-born,"

"One of my friends is muggle-born. Best I our year," I spoke up, a little annoyed at the fact that he had mentioned anything about it.

"Please don't think I'm prejudiced. No, no!" Mr. Slughorn exclaimed, stepping toward us. "Lily was one of my absolute favorites. Look,"

Mr. Slughorn gesture to a tall shelf covered in framed pictures. All of them had were pictures of what I assumed were people he had taught. I caught sight of a picture in the front of a red-headed girl that I guess was a young Lily, having seen the picture Harry had of his parents.

"All mine. Each and every one. Ex-students, I mean," Mr. Slughorn told us as he stepped up behind us, looking at the pictures as well. "You recognize Barnabas Cuffe, editor of The Daily Prophet. Always takes my owl, should I wish to register an opinion on the news of the day," he smiled gesturing to a picture near the top of the shelf. "Gwenog Jones, captain of the Holyhead Harpies. Free tickets whenever I want them. Of course, I haven't been to a match in some time," he said pointing to a girl that reminded me of one of the Quidditch players on the Gryffindor team, though I couldn't remember her name at that moment.

I watched as Harry picked up a picture with a Slytherin Quidditch team in it, with a man I recognized as my Uncle Regulus. He was my father's brother that I had learned about a while back from Lupin after I had found a picture of him.

"Aw yes. Regulus Black. Your uncle, Miss Black," Mr. Slughorn said looking down at the picture. "I had the pleasure of having all your relatives through my house. All in Slytherin besides your father, I believe. Orion wasn't pleased about that. But I'm sure you carried on the tradition?" he asked.

"No, sir, I didn't," I replied. "I'm in Gryffindor,"

"Oh ho!" Slughorn chuckled. "The last Black in Gryffindor, just like her father?" I nodded. "Such a shame I never got to teach you father, my dear. He was talented also. I got your uncle, though I would have liked to have the pair,"

"What do you teach?" I asked.

"Potions," Slughorn smiled proudly.

"Rebecca's fantastic at potions," Harry said, speaking up. "Best at Hogwarts from what I've seen,"

"Really?" Slughorn grinned.

I nodded shyly. "My stepfather, Gregory Sherwood taught me a lot," I admitted.

"I had him as a student as well," Slughorn smiled before it faded. "Though he wasn't as wonderful at potions then as he is now. Wasn't always the brightest,"

I chuckled at that. I believed I liked Mr. Slughorn.

"Such a shame your father died," Slughorn continued. "Smart boy. Just unfortunate,"

"Horace?" I jumped as Dumbledore entered the room. "You mind if I take this?" he asked as he held up a magazine. "I do love knitting patterns,"

"Yes, of course," Harry and I quickly moved away from Mr. Slughorn and to Dumbledore's side. "But you're not leaving?" he asked, sounding disappointed.

"Oh, I think I know a lost cause when I see one. Regrettable," Dumbledore sighed. "I would have considered it a great personal triumph had you consented to return to Hogwarts. Oh well. You're like my friends, Mr. Potter and Miss Black here, one of a kind," I held in my chuckle as I finally realized what Dumbledore was doing, trying to bait Mr. Slughorn to come back. "Well, bye-bye, Horace,"

"Nice to have met you, Mr. Slughorn. I do hope we meet again," I smiled waving politely. He waved back sadly, looking very disappointed, as Harry pulled me with him out of the house.

We closed the door behind us and began to walk away, and I only let myself smile as I heard the door swing open. "All right! I'll do it," Mr. Slughorn called out to us. "But I want Professor Merrythought's old office, not that water closet I had before. And I expect a raise. These are mad times we live in. Mad!"

"They are indeed," Dumbledore murmured.

"It will be a pleasure to be learning from you, Professor," I smiled back at him before he returned inside. I smiled as I chased after Dumbledore, who had started humming to himself as he walked off down the street, leaving Harry and I to follow after him.

"Sir, exactly what was all of that about?"

"You are talented, famous and powerful, Harry, while Rebecca equally talented, powerful and a the last Black. The two of you have everything that Horace values," Dumbledore explained. "Professor Slughorn is going to try to collect you both. You, Rebecca, are the most important to him because you are the daughter of the one Black he couldn't get his hands on the most significant Black to him. You, on the other hand Harry, would be his crowning jewel. That's why he's returning to Hogwarts. And it's crucial he should return," he told us.

We walked back out of the town until we were standing next to the statue where we had arrived at.

"I fear I may have stolen a wondrous night from you, Harry. She was, truthfully, very pretty- the girl," Dumbledore commented.

Hearing this made my blood boil.

"It's all right, sir," Harry said quickly, sounding uncomfortable, though I don't know why.

"Well, if you say so," Dumbledore smiled. "Now that we have finished our business here, I'll take you both to the Burrow,"

"But, sir, what about Hedwig? And my trunk?" Harry asked, sounding a bit alarmed. I was suddenly glad I had my stuff with me.

"Both are waiting for you," Dumbledore smiled as he put out his arms, having but the magazine in his pocket.

Harry and I looked at each other and frowned. Harry took Dumbledore's arm hesitantly while I glared at it. I didn't exactly look forward to feeling like vomiting or getting to see what I had for breakfast that morning.

"Miss Black?" Dumbledore asked, glancing over at me.

I let out a whimper before grabbing his arm.

The world suddenly twisted and turned and my body was forced into a small tube once again before it was forced out again so that I was standing in a foot deep puddle of water beside Harry, the Burrow off in the distance.

"Oh, by the gods, Apparating shouldn't be this horrible," I moaned as I put a hand over my mouth.

"It's not that bad," Harry smiled over at me.

"Not for _you_, boy wonder," I growled as I looked over at him.

He just chuckled and we started our short trek to the Burrow, where everyone was yelling around the house about weither or not Harry was there. It was pretty funny actually.

"Is that an owl I heard?" I could Hermione ask as we entered through the front door.

"You haven't seen him, have you? Apparently he's wandering about the house," I could hear Ginny yell.

"Really?" I could hear Hermione ask.

"Really," Harry called smiling.

"Harry!" I could hear Mrs. Weasley exclaim happily.

"Rebecca!" I looked over towards the stairs to see Ginny running at me until she collided with me, enveloping me in a warm hug. "I didn't know you were coming!"

"Neither did I," I smiled as I pulled back.

"Harry!" I looked over as Hermione pulled Harry into a hug, still holing her toothbrush. "Rebecca, you're here too!" Hermione smiled as she gave me a hug.

"What a lovely surprise," Mrs. Weasley smiled as she gave Harry a hug before giving one to me as well, followed by Ron since I sort of jumped on him to make him hug me. "Why didn't you let us know you two were coming?" Mrs. Weasley asked Harry as she took her face into her hands.

"We didn't know. Dumbledore," Harry explained.

"Oh, that man," Mrs. Weasley exclaimed with a chuckle. "But then what would we do without him?"

I smiled and glanced over at the others, to find Ron whipping a bit of toothpaste off the side of Hermione's mouth, making her jump a bit. We all stared, and once the two realized this, the took a step away from each other and Ron muttered; "Got a bit of toothpaste," making us all chuckle nervously.

"Well, Rebecca, you can stay with Ginny and Hermione, it might be a little crowded though. Come now, Harry. It's late and you must be tired. Run upstairs- you can stay with Ron," Mrs. Weasley told him as she ushered him towards the stairs. I stared after him as I watched him disappear with Ron and Mrs. Weasley up the stairs.

"You're staring," Ginny said as she stepped in front of me.

"And pouting," Hermione added with a snicker.

"Look who's talking, Miss Toothpaste!" I laughed, pushing her playfully.

"Come on," she laughed, rolling her eyes as she pulled me up the stairs after her. I just sighed and smiled, following her back to Ginny's room.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I LOVE THE TOOTHPASTE MOMENT!<strong>


	3. Boys

About a week later, everything had calmed down… until Hermione screeched from the living room as the rest of us were all sitting around in the kitchen. Harry, Ron and I all looked at each other worriedly before Hermione scurried into the kitchen, muttering in her panicked state.

"What's wrong, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked her.

"It's our OWLs! They're here!"

Ron and Harry looked at each other unenthusiastically while Ginny and I jumped from our seats and ran over to Hermione hurried as she got our OWL results.

"I've gotten all Os except in DADA!" Hermione told me happily, though she did seem a bit disappointed about having an E on her record. "How did you do, Rebecca?"

"All Os," I whispered before holding my arms over my head to protect myself against Hermione's imminent attack… but none came.

"Oh, Rebecca, it's alright. I already know you're amazing in Defensive magic. I mean, you even got an O when Umbridge was teaching!"

"It wasn't easy," I laughed. I didn't mean that the material was hard; I meant the teacher was unbearable.

"Besides, I helped tutor you anyway, so I'm not surprised that you did so well," Hermione continued.

I chuckled at her and rolled my eyes as she handed Harry his envelope. He opened it and read it with a smile that faded quickly.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I've only got an Exceeds Expectations in Potions,"

"And?" I asked, wondering why it was so bad. I mean, it was the second highest grade, which was amazing for the boys.

"It's not enough to become an Auror," Harry said, looking horribly depressed.

"Oh Harry. I'm sorry," Hermione sighed.

"Tough blow, mate," Ron sighed.

"Can't you just take it again this year as a NEWT student?" I asked.

The four of them (Ginny if you all forgot) turned and stared at me as if I had grown a second head.

"What?"

"Well, lets not worry about it now," Mrs. Weasley stepped in as she looked over our letters that had come with our OWL scores for what new things we would need this year. "There's only one place we can get all of this… Diagon Alley,"

"We can visit Fred and George's store!" Ron smiled, receiving a very motherly look from Hermione.

* * *

><p>"<em>I will have order<em>! I really hate children. _I will have order_!"

An Umbridge doll unicycled across a wire, carrying to caldrons of something on her shoulders. It was one of the Weasley twins inventions with the intent of forever mocking that sadistic toad we had come to know so well last year. I grinned, finding the doll quite funny.

"Ah, thought you'd like it," George said as he popped up beside me.

"What do you think? Did we capture her character well enough?" Fred asked as he popped up on my other side.

I nodded. "It's brilliant,"

I moved along as the two moved along to a boy that looked like he was on the verge of puking. I walked about the store slowly, looking at the long lines of practical jokes, quick get aways and other tricks that the twins had come up with since last year.

I rocked into someone, sending us both stumbling for a moment. "I'm so sorry!" I told them quickly as my face reddened.

"No, it was my fault entirely. I should have been paying more attention," a deep voice responded.

I looked up and found Dean Thomas staring down at me, as if he was greatly surprised about something. And then he smiled brightly. "Wow Rebecca, you look different this year,"

I blushed and tugged on a piece of my brown hair. "Yeah, I thought I'd try brown hair," I murmured.

"I like it," Dean smiled. I blushed and looked down at my shoes before I heard him chuckle, forcing me to look back up at him curiously. "Your shoes more interesting than me?"

I shook my head.

"Am I making you nervous?" he asked.

"No," I said to quickly, making him chuckle.

"See you on the train?" he asked.

"Odds are in our favor," I smiled.

"Good," he smiled. "I'll see you then," And with that he took off again, glancing back at me before he met up with Seamus, who punched him in the arm before showing him some sort of electrical handshake thing.

I smiled to myself before catching up to Hermione and Ginny who were standing near a fountain filled with heart-shaped vials of Love potions.

"Love potions, eh?" Fred and George asked as they appeared beside me.

"Yes, they really do work," George assured the three of us.

"Then again, I hear most of you are doing just fine on your own," Fred added.

"Meaning?" Ginny asked.

"Are you not currently dating Michael Corner?" Fred inquired.

"_WHAT_?"

I jumped as Ron came up and started arguing with Ginny about said boy.

"And was it not you, Rebecca, that we just say wooing our dear friend Dean Thomas?" George asked with a smirk.

"None of your business," I told them quickly before I walked away, making sure they couldn't see my blush.

I walked up beside Ginny, who had gotten rid of Ron, who was observing a cage of little balls of fluff. They seemed to be alive, like pets, rolling around and squeaking.

"These are adorable," she squealed.

"Aren't they, now? Pygmy Puffs- can't breed them fast enough," Fred and George told us as they came to stand behind me once again.

"Are you two following me?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Why would you think that?" "We're only trying to make sure our customers are satisfied," the two of them smiled mockingly before moving off using melodramatically quiet steps.

I rolled my eyes my eyes as them.

* * *

><p><strong>*Third Person*<strong>

Harry was walking around the shop, smiling to himself as he looked about at all of the jokes, tricks and random things that were sitting around the shop. It was amazing. Better that any store he had ever stepped in in the muggle world.

Harry then eyed some dark rocks sitting on a scale.

"Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder," Harry read the sign allowed.

"A real money spinner, that," George told him as he appeared to his left.

"Handy if you need to make a quick getaway," Fred told him as he rolled over on a ladder, throwing him a chunk of it as George took the money.

"Love potions, eh?" Harry heard the twins ask.

He turned to see Rebecca, Hermione and Ginny who were standing near a fountain filled with small crystal heart-shaped vials of pink liquid. Harry eyed the potion in Hermione's hand before his eyes settled on Rebecca who was looking up at the twins on either side of her.

"Yes, they really do work," George assured the three of them.

"Then again, I hear most of you are doing just fine on your own," Fred added.

This caught Harry's attention. What had he missed over the last week he had been staying at the Burrow? Surely the others would have mentioned something to him about anything new like that.

"Meaning?" Ginny asked.

"Are you not currently dating Michael Corner?" Fred inquired.

"_WHAT_?"

Harry jumped as Ron ran past him and started arguing with Ginny about Michael Corner, a boy Harry knew Ron detested.

"And was it not you, Rebecca, that we just say wooing our dear friend Dean Thomas?" George asked with a smirk.

Harry's blood turned cold and his smile disappeared. What were the twins talking about? But as he watched Rebecca's face as it turned from happy to shocked, he now waited with baited breath as he listened for Rebecca's answer.

"None of your business," she told them quickly with a bit of a smirk before walking off.

Unfortunately, Harry knew her better than that, and had caught sight of that flush of color that entered her face. She and Dean had been flirting with each other! And what's worse; she liked him! It only made Harry's blood boil as his hand clamped down on the chunk of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder in his pocket.

But what did it matter to him what she did? She was his best friend and could do whatever it was she liked after all.

Unfortunately, Harry knew it wasn't as simple as that. He knew well enough what he was feeling, and it nearly scared him out of his socks.

He liked Rebecca. More than a friend should like another. He knew because it felt similar to how he had felt with Cho Chang all through fourth and fifth year. Except this time it was different, more of a warm and toasty feeling instead of a hot, new, and awkward feeling.

He liked Rebecca.

When had that happened?

* * *

><p><strong>*First Person*<strong>

After failing to haggle down a price of a box of something, Ron insisted the four of us leave. I rolled my eyes at him and followed him and Hermione out of the store, waiting on a lagging Harry.

As we passed through the doorway of the shop, the atmosphere became gloomy and somber, no longer a world of laughter, but of emptiness. Nearly all the shops were boarded up, covering the broken windows. People scurried by, quickening as they passed the security posters.

"How are Fred and George doing it?" Hermione asked. "Half the Alley's closed down,"

"Fred reckons people need a laugh these days," Ron told her.

"I reckon he's right," Harry commented.

"Oh no," I frowned as I looked up to see that Ollivander's shop was in ruins, looking like someone had set fire to the place.

We all stepped inside the place carefully, only to find that the inside looked just as bad as the outside, if not worse.

"Harry?" Ron called softly as he looked through on of the broken front windows. "Is it me, or do Draco and Mummy look like two people who don't want to be followed?"

I peeked out the window to see he was right. Draco and Narcissa Malfoy were looking up and down the street before slipping into a dark alley.

"Come on," Harry whispered, though he didn't need to.

We followed him out of Ollivander's and down the dark alleyway, passing more wanted posters, angry dogs and a man talking to a wall until we watched the pair of them walk into Borgin and Burkes. Harry then led us to a nearby stair case which led up to a roof, we all climbed carefully until we hung onto the shingling, peaking over the top into the back of the store. Now we could see Draco and Narcissa looking at a bit of furniture, some sort of oddly shaped cupboard.

Suddenly, someone stepped in the way of the window, causing us all to duck down, one of us knocking a shingle off the roof. After a moment looked back over the top of the roof and I found that the blinds had been closed on us, blocking us out.

"Damn," Harry hissed.

"I could go in as one of them after they leave, though I'd need different clothing for me to be believable," I told him as we all carefully scooted off the roof and moved out of the alley.

"No, it'd be too dangerous," Harry muttered.

"At least you were left with some sense," Hermione muttered. "What did you expect to learn from that?" she asked before she walked off without her answer, Ron walking after her.

I continued walk beside Harry as we finally exited the alley and made our way back to Fred and George's shop. Whatever we had seen, we hadn't gotten a lick of information except maybe that Malfoy was redecorating. I was perplexed on Malfoy and Mummy's little visit.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Review my lovelies!<strong>


	4. Wrackspurts

Less than a week later it was time to return to Hogwarts, something Hermione and I was very excited to do. Hermione because it meant school. For me, it was that we finally had a new potions master, but also because I knew something was bound to happen this year, and not just the horrible stuff that had been happening for the past five years, but something good.

I boarded the train and walked after Harry, Ron and Hermione to try to find a compartment, until we finally found one near the back of the train.

"So what was Draco doing with that weird looking cabinet. And who were all those people?" Harry asked after a while. "Don't you see? It was a ceremony, an initiation,"

"Stop it, Harry. I know where you're going with this," Hermione said, rolling her eyes as she looked back down at her book.

"It's happened. He's one of them,"

"One of what?" Ron asked, having not really been paying attention.

Hermione sighed. "Harry is under the impression Draco Malfoy is now a Death Eater," Hermione explained.

"You're barking," Ron told him. "What would You-Know-Who want with something like Malfoy?"

"Eyes inside Hogwarts?" I tried.

"Little beady eyes," Ron murmured.

"And whatever he picked up probably wouldn't be useful. And even if it was he'd only be able to send it ever break or by owl," Hermione said, shooting down my idea before Harry started up again.

"Then what's he doing in Borgin and Burkes? Browsing for furniture?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"It's a creepy shop. He's a creepy bloke," Ron tried.

"Look, his father is a Death Eater. It only makes sense," Harry told us. "And besides, Hermione and Rebecca saw it with their own eyes-"

"I told you, I don't know what I saw," Hermione interrupted, making Harry look a bit annoyed.

Harry then looked to me for help in his argument but I just raised my hands in surrender. "Look Harry, we need facts, not hearsay and theories before you start pointing fingers," I told him.

He just huffed and glared at the three of us before standing, grabbing something from the shelves above his seat. "I need some air," He left, leaving the three of us to sit with each other in uncomfortable silence.

About a chapter of Return of the King later, I finally had enough. It had been far to quiet, I was getting bored and Harry still hadn't come back yet. I got up in a huff, dropping the fat book onto my seat before I exited the compartment, walking up the aisles, looking about for Harry while at the same time being thankful we were allowed to walk around on the train.

I had finished walking the length of the train, without any luck in finding Harry, and was headed back to my compartment when I felt a hand tug mine, pulling me back. I yelped, before looking back at whoever had grabbed me. I immediately stopped however, when I realized it was Dean.

"Hey," he smiled happily as he stood, leaning against the door frame of his compartment. "I think I remember you saying that there would be a good chance we'd see each other on this train,"

A slow smile crept over my face as I looked up at him. "I guess I did,"

"Quibbler! Quibbler!" I heard Luna call as she came toward us, until she stopped next to me as Dean moved out of her way. "Hello Rebecca. Would you like the Quibbler?"

"Please," I smiled, as she handed me one from her stack.

"Is your father still working as the editor, Luna?" Dean asked.

"Oh yes," she smiled. "This summer in fact, my father an I traveled looking for creatures to document and put in the Quibbler, like the Wrackspurt,"

"What's a Wrackspurt?" I asked.

"Oh, they're invisible creatures. They float in your ears and make you brain go fuzzy," she explained before moving along.

"I think Wrackspurts fly into my ears whenever I see you," he smiled as he looked down at me.

I smiled and blushed like mad. "I have to admit, that might be one of the cheesiest things I've ever heard, Dean Thomas… but somehow… I liked it," I told as a smile slowly spread across my face.

"I hoped you would," he smiled as he leaned toward me,

Before I knew it, I felt his lips on mine, pressing lightly until he pulled back, gauging my reaction.

"Why did you do that?" I asked surprisingly breathlessly.

"Because I wanted to," Dean replied.

I just stared at him before I dropped my eyes to my shoes, biting my lip.

"You know, one day you're going to have to tell me what's so darn interesting about those shoes of yours," Dean said as he raised my chin so that I was looking at him again.

"Only when you tell me what's so darn interesting about me," I threw back with a smirk.

"Deal," he smiled before kissing me again.

* * *

><p>The train slowed until it came to a rough stop. I walked with Dean, hand in hand back to my other compartment and grabbed my bag before walking out with him, Ron and Hermione, Hermione giving me looks the whole way. It was only then that I noticed Harry wasn't with us. It wasn't like him to just disappear… usually. I asked Ron and he just shrugged and said he was probably out at the carriages. I nodded and followed.<p>

"Wait!" I nearly shouted, making Dean jump a bit and Ron and Hermione look back at me confused. "I left my book back in the compartment," I told them.

"Want me to go back with you?" Dean asked, taking a step back with me.

"No, no. You go ahead, I'll catch up," I told him. He nodded and smiled at me before kissing me on the forehead and walking off with Ron and Hermione.

I scrunched my nose and wiped my forehead before taking off running toward the train. This kissing stuff I'd have to get used to.

As I arrived at the platform I huffed as I ran to the nearest door, nearly bumping into an angry Malfoy.

"Watch it, Sherwood!" he growled at me, pushing past me.

"Sorry," I said sarcastically, moving out of his way.

"Oh, and a note for you Potter minions and the scar head next time. If I catch you eavesdropping on me again, I'll do worse," he threatened before moving off.

I stared after him wide eyed for a moment as that settled in. A note for you _next time_? If I catch you _again_? I'll do _worse_?

"Harry, what did you do?" I murmured to myself.

I quickly pulled out my wand as I entered the train, heading straight to the Slytherin compartments. I entered the long section of train slowly to find it empty and nothing out of place, except for one table that had been knocked over. I aimed my wand at the aisle in front of it and flicked my wand.

"_Finite_,"

The invisibility cloak flew up to reveal Harry laying on the floor looking as if he had just woken up from sleep as he blinked a few times before he sat up. As he slowly sat up. He coughed and sputtered before a stream of blood trickled from his nose which was starting to swell up.

My eyes widened and I rushed over to him, helping him up as I fished out a pocket of tissues from my satchel, handing it to him as the blood dripped down and onto his shirt making me scrunch my nose.

"Thanks," he said, smiling briefly before taking the wad.

I nodded and stuffed the invisibility cloak into my bag. "We have to hurry, the train's going to leave any moment, and I still have to get my book," I told him as I stood.

We hurried down the aisles, to my compartment where I grabbed my book before we hopped off the train straight as the engines started up.

"So," I began. "Are you going to tell me what happened? Or am I to assume that when Malfoy yelled at me about how I better not ever eavesdrop on him or I'd get worse that you were caught eavesdropping by Malfoy?" I asked as he and I walked down past were the carriages should have been, meaning we had missed them all together.

"Yeah," he confirmed.

"That was stupid of you, you know," I told him. "If you wanted information you could just send me in as Crabbe or Goyle again," I smiled.

"Or Pansy… I never told you, but you acted quiet well," Harry admitted.

"Why yes I did," I smiled, hanging my thumbs on my 'invisible' suspenders.

After that we walked in a comfortable silence until we caught sight of the gates, but that time I had been complaining to Harry that my feet ever minute, and Harry's nose had swollen to the size of a golf ball.

"My feet hurt," I whined.

"I know," Harry sighed, sounding annoyed, which made me feel a bit better.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"My feet hurt,"

Harry let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm sorry I made you miss the carriages, then at least I wouldn't have to hear you whine,"

"Hey!" I shouted, smacking him lightly on the arm.

"Ah! About time!" Professor Flickwick exclaimed as he saw us coming. "I've been looking all over for you two. All right, names?" Professor Flitwick readied his quill.

"Professor Flitwick, you've known me for five years," Harry said.

"No exceptions, Potter," he stuttered, scribbling on his parchment.

After all that, he marked us down anyway. I smiled and shook my head, before my attention was drawn to a pile of objects accompanied by Professor Snape, Malfoy, and a couple of other people I didn't recognize.

"Who are those people?" I asked.

"Aurors- for security," Professor Flitwick he explained.

"… be considered an offensive weapon?" Mr. Filch concluded as Flitwick's words ended.

"It's all right, Mr. Filch. I can vouch for Mr. Malfoy," Snape intervened in his slow calculating voice.

Harry and I watched Malfoy as he yanked the walking stick, similar to his father's which hid his wand, and turned to glare at us. "Nice face, Potter," Malfoy sneered before walking away with Snape.

I turned back to Harry, eyeing his nose as he eyed Malfoy. "Would you like me to fix it for you? Personally I think you look a bit more underground fight nights, but it's up to you," I shrugged as I pulled out my wand.

"Have you ever fixed a nose before?" he asked, looking worried.

"Let me put it this way," I began. "I'm not Lockheart,"

Harry looked amused, but only shrugged. "Alright, give it a go,"

I focused for a moment, pointing my wand at him before I said; "_Episkey_!"

It was cracking noise from Harry's nose and him doubling over that made me wince and my face scrunch up as I watched him straighten.

"Well? How do I look?" Harry asked after the pain had left his face.

I observed my work, eyeing his nose before I smirked at him. "I must say, Harry, I think I am able to take credit for your good looks, now,"

Something in my response made him smile, which brought about a tingling feeling in my chest that spread rapidly. I turned away from him before he could see the blush that I could feel spreading across my cheeks and started walking.

I would need to stop making those kind of comments now, wouldn't I?

* * *

><p>"Where have you been?" Hermione growled at us when we arrived at the Great Hall. It seemed we missed quite a bit, since the first years were sorted and comfortable in their new houses. "What happened to your face?" she gasped, noticing Harry's obviously injured nose. The bone was back in place, but it was still bleeding a bit.<p>

"Nothing," he replied, as the two of us sat down, I beside Dean who was eyeing Harry's nose, and Ginny who looked a bit worried over Harry.

"First off," I turned to see Dumbledore at his pedestal. "Let me introduce the newest member of our staff: Horace Slughorn," he gestured back to the professor, who stood happily and waved. "Professor Slughorn, I'm happy to say, has agreed to assume his old post as potions master. Meanwhile, the post of the Defence Against the Dark Arts will be taken by Professor Snape-"

Wild whispers danced around the room at the ghastly and shocking news rang throughout the hall. Harry, Ron, Hermione and I all exchanged a glance.

"As you know, each and everyone of you was searched upon your arrival here tonight and you have the right to know why. Once, there was a young man who, like you, sat in this very hall, walked this castle's corridors, and slept under its roof. He seemed to the entire world a student like any other. His name: Tom Riddle,"

More whispers filled the hall.

"Today of course he's known all over the world by another name. Which is why, as I stand looking out upon you tonight, I'm reminded of a sobering fact: every day, every hour, this very minute perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls, but in the end their greatest weapon is you,"

At that, I looked over at Malfoy who was staring off, looking uncomfortable.

"Now! Off to bed- pip pip!" Dumbledore clapped in a surprisingly cheerful manner and shooed us from the hall.

"Well, the job is jinxed, I mean, no one's ever lasted more than a year as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Maybe we'll get lucky," Ron said as we walked towards our dorms.

"Ron, that's an awful thing to say!" I exclaimed.

"What? Don't act like you wouldn't mind if he weren't around next year," Ron pointed smiled.

"That's not the point. He's our teacher and he doesn't deserve to have something horrible happen to him no matter how miserable he makes us," I told him.

Dean put an arm around my shoulder, leaning down until his mouth was next to my ear. "I think your fighting a lost cause," he chuckled.

"Like Sisyphus," I smiled, only receiving confused looks. "It's a nerdy muggle thing," I explained to them with a small chuckle.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: No one knows that in the Muggle world, why would she think teenage wizards would understand her?<strong>

**Review!**


	5. Classes

The next day I woke up early with Hermione and we our classes. They went on as they normally did, though they seemed to be a bit harder, now that we were NEWT students. It was only when Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dean and I all arrived in the DADA room did we receive any surprises.

Snape, like all of the other Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we had had over the year, he had decorated the room in his own way. He had the shutters closed so the only light that came in was dim, and the walls were also covered with depressing gory pictures.

Snape started with a depressing lecture on the Dark Arts before heading right in on having us cast defensive spells and other jinxes at each other, but nonverbally. This I already could do to a point, but it was harder for others, since across the room I could hear Snape already yelling at someone.

"Do you remember me telling you we are practicing _non-verbal_ spells, Potter?" Snape snapped.

I winced.

"Yes,"

"Yes, _sir_,"

"There's no need to call me 'sir', Professor," Ron let out a snort while Dean, and I tried to keep the smile off our faces and Hermione looked over at the two boys disappointedly.

After that was lunch where Dean and I sat across from Harry, Ron and Hermione. We ate and talked about Snape, all of us letting out a good laugh from Harry's little comment.

"Ah, Snape," Dean laughed slightly. "You'd think now he's got his _dream_ job he'd lighten up on his students now,"

"Not a chance," Ron muttered.

After a little debate about Snape over lunch, Hermione, Dean and I went to our next class while Harry and Ron had a free period to blow off on standing around and pointing fun at the lost first-years. I stepped into the potions room to find it opened up in a way I hadn't seen it… ever. Sunlight was coming in, it smelled clean and fresh.

"Why hello, Miss _Sherwood_," Professor Slughorn greeted as he winked at me.

Apparently Professor Dumbledore had asked him to not make it none that I was actually a Black. Sweet of him, though I wasn't exactly happy to still be sporting my stepfather's name. I smiled back at him and stood between Dean and Hermione, my eyes examining the different size cauldrons on display before us as the class began.

"Now, when making potions one must have all ingredients already at hand, no dilly dally in the preparations of making potions. One must also be attentive and be able to notice the slightest change, to see the smallest detail. Attention to detail in the preparation is the prerequisite of all planning," Slughorn was explaining to us when Harry and Ron walked in. "Aw, Harry, m'boy! I was beginning to worry about weither you'd be here," Slughorn smiled before catching sight of an uncomfortable looking Ron. "We've got someone with us, I see,"

"Ron Weasley, sir," Ron told him. "I'm dead awful at potions, so I'll probably just go-" he had started to back out of the room, but Harry and grabbed him and shoved him forward again.

"Nonsense! Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine!" Slughorn smiled. "Grab your books from that cupboard there," he said gesturing to a random cupboard before turning back to us. "Now, as I was saying, I prepared some concoctions this morning. Any ideas what this might be?"

My hand shot in the air as he opened the first lid. "Yes, Miss Sherwood,"

I smiled at him and stepped forward, peering into the first cauldron. "This one is Veritaserum. A truth telling serum and the potion must mature for a full lunar phase, and is quite difficult to produce. It can be mixed with any drink, and three drops are a sufficient dose. It's clear, colorless, and odorless, which makes it very hard to differentiate from water. However, it does have a distinct taste," I added bitterly, remembering how Umbridge had tried to use it on me the year previous and remembering how my stepfather had put it in foods to see if I could recognize it, similar to a taste testing lesson for poison tasters.

"Very good, and the next?" he asked, lifting the second lid.

I looked into it and scrunched my nose as I recognized the look and smell of the potion from when Hermione had made it second year. Happily, I didn't need to use such a potion to change my appearance. "That would be Polyjuice Potion, used for physical _human_ transformations. It's tricky to make, and takes around a month to make,"

I glanced over at the next cauldron, and as Slughorn turned back to the class, a bit of it's scent wafted over to me. I could smell a woody smell like the forests around my old home; caramel and peppermint from my favorite hot chocolate mixtures from winter or when I was sick; the smell of soap; the way the pages in books smelt as you opened them; but then there was one smell I knew was familiar to me, like I'd known it for years. I couldn't think where though.

Amortentia.

"Good, good, Miss Sherwood. Now, can anyone else help identify the last of the potions?" Slughorn asked.

Hermione's hand shot up.

"Yes, Miss…"

"Granger, sir," she said, lowering her arm. We switched places and she leaned over a large cauldron. "This is Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world," she said, glancing around uncomfortably now. "It's rumored to smell differently to each person according to what attracts them. For example," she took in a long breath before continuing. "I smell freshly mown grass and… new parchment, and…" her voice had become dreamy and for a moment I thought she was lost in her own memories "-spearmint toothpaste,"

She seemed to have realized her lack of consciousness and backed away from the seductive potion. However, many of the girls were drawn to it and began taking small unconscious steps towards the cauldron. A waft of pure delight swept into my senses and filled me up. It was as if it filled the entire room with an intoxicating familiarity.

"Now," Slughorn began, grabbing my attention. "Amortentia doesn't create actual love, that would be impossible, but it does cause powerful infatuation or obsession," Slughorn told us, eyeing the girls who were creeping forward. "And for that reason, it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room," He then placed the lid back on, which abruptly ended the scent and the girls' delusions.

"Sir? You haven't told us what's in that one," a girl I knew pointed towards a tiny vial of golden liquid.

"Ah, yes! What you see before you is a curious little potion known as Felix Felicis, also known as-"

"-liquid luck," I finished.

"Yes, Miss Shewood, liquid luck," he seemed pleased at my prior knowledge, but turned back to the class, holding up the small vial. "It's desperately tricky to make, disastrous should you get it wrong. One sip and you'll find that all of your endeavors succeed. At least until the effects wear off,"

"But Professor," I said, raising my hand. "Some people say there is no such thing as luck so how can there be a potion to inspire it? Surely all it does to the drinker is help them make good decisions,"

"A valid point, Miss Sherwood," Slughorn said, nodding his head. "I see you have the observational skills of your father as well as his skepticism,"

I blushed at that and shrunk into my seat. I wasn't a skeptic. I was just asking.

"Good decision making does enter into luck, however, Felix Felicis merely causes situations to go more in the drinker's favor when it is used. Good decisions can be made anytime without the aid of this potion. This simply makes the drinker more likely to succeed than normally," he explained. "So, this is what I offer each of you today; One tiny vial of liquid luck to the student who, in the hour that remains, manages to brew an acceptable draft of Living Death. Recipes for which can be found on page ten of your books-"

The room immediately filled with the sound of flipping pages, not including my own. I knew full well how well potions books from the Ministry (which were what we had been instructed to buy and now had) had all the instructions wrong on how to make potions. It was the one thing I trusted my stepfather on, especially after our 'goop' experiment with a Ministry textbook.

"You should point out, however, only once did a student manage to brew a potion of sufficient quality to claim this prize," Apparently he has never had me in his class. "Nevertheless, good luck to you all. Let the brewing commence!"

I hurried over to Dean's table and began working on my position, crushing the Sopophorus bean instead of cutting it, adding thirteen beans instead of twelve into the cauldron along with a ton of other corrections. However, after stirring the potion counter-clockwise seven times, it didn't look right, it was opaque instead of clear.

I glared down at it until I heard a happy trill of deep laughter. "Merlin's beard!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed as he looked down into Harry's cauldron. Next he moved along to look down into mine where he smiled at me. "Why I have never seen this many students get this potion so close in one class!" he exclaimed. He then finished walking around the room before he walked up to the front of the class, the whole glass running forward as he picked up the vial. Everyone waited silently as he looked over the small crowd. "Harry, Rebecca? Would you come forward?"

There was a room wide huff of sadness as Harry and I stepped forward.

"Now, these two managed to brew a quality potion, but unfortunately I only have one vial of Felix Felicis, so in this case I must reward it to whoever made the best potion, which is…" he paused for dramatic effect, making me roll my eyes. I had already knew who won. "Harry,"

Slughorn proudly handed he small vial over to Harry, congratulating him and telling him to use it well. I smiled and clapped for Harry. It was a surprise that he had managed to make a sufficient draught, let alone better than Hermione and I.

But I had to wonder… how had he managed it?

* * *

><p><strong>*Third Person*<strong>

Later that day Dumbledore called Harry into his office. He wanted to show him one of his memories of Voldemort, one of his first memories of him. He wanted to talk to Harry about getting one particular memory from Professor Slughorn. He wanted to explain to Harry why he had brought Slughorn here, and explain what Harry must do to get it.

But for now Dumbledore sat at his desk, looking at the ruined diary of Tom Riddle that Harry had brought to him his second year after saving a young Rebecca Sherwood from the depths of the Chamber of Secrets. It had dark magic around it, in it, and he still had yet to pin point what it was, though he had a good idea already.

A soft knock came at the door and Dumbledore put away the diary in his desk, along with a small ring, and smiled up at Harry as he entered his office.

"Harry, you got my message. Come in," Dumbledore smiled as Harry approached his desk. "How are you?" he asked.

"I'm fine, sir,"

"Enjoying your classes?" Dumbledore asked. "I know Professor Slughorn is most impressed with you, even more so than Rebecca it may seem,"

"I think he overestimates my abilities, sir," Harry told him honestly.

"Do you?"

"Definitely," Harry smiled, causing Dumbledore to chuckle lightly at the boy.

"What about your activities outside the classroom?" Dumbledore asked suddenly.

"Sir?" Harry asked, confused by the question.

"Well, I noticed you spend a great deal of time with Miss Granger, and Miss Sherwood- or should I say Black?- I can't help wondering if-"

"Oh, no, no. I mean, Hermione's brilliant and we're friends, but no," Harry said quickly.

"And?" Dumbledore asked, a bit of a mischievous smile came to his face.

"And Rebecca is dating Dean Thomas and we're friends," Harry finished.

Though if he were telling the truth, he did wish he could spend more time with Rebecca, but now that she and Dean were dating, he had no chance. Plus, she probably only thought of him as 'boy wonder'- whatever the hell that meant- and not Harry.

"Forgive me," Dumbledore smiled. "I was merely being curious," Harry nodded before Dumbledore stood, moving past him and over to a tall glass cabinet filled with small vials. "But enough chitchat. You must be wondering why I summoned you here tonight. The answer lies here…"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Random moment with Dumbledore I wanted to add in.<strong>


	6. Paranoid

**Author's Note: Have you been reviewing? Truthfully? I could care less if you didn't review during the story. It's at then end that you need to review and tell me what you think, and if you don't... there will be consquenses*. Grrr...**

* * *

><p><strong>*First Person*<strong>

The first week of school wasn't too bad in all but definitely harder than before. Now that we were NEWT students we were expected to use non-verbal spells in _all_ our lessons which was not easy; Professor McGonagall certainly expected us to do so. The lessons themselves were getting harder to understand even for Hermione which was something, however Potions still remained easy enough for me, though Harry always seemed to be one step ahead which made me frustrated to no end until I found out his secret. His potions book had been previously owned, and had been marked in a fair bit, helping him out. I didn't mind that much, but it was still annoying considering I was trying hard and he was barely trying.

Dean and I were now officially 'going out' whatever that meant and we spent a lot of time together. We'd talk about random things like the weather or lessons or Quidditch during walks from class to class and sometimes at meals. Sometimes I'd hang out with him in the common room as well, but it was hard since I wanted to also spend time Harry, Ron and Hermione while not letting my grades go sky diving.

Now, on the weekend, when I could have been inside studying or reading or doing something far more important than this… I was sitting out in the could, next to Hermione, watching the Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Dean had made me, since Harry was captain this year, Ron and Dean were trying out and Hermione was going. So I sat watching tiredly as Harry and Ginny yelled at the group before a boy a year up from us looked over at Hermione and smiled cockily at her, making the two of us roll our eyes.

By the time tryouts were over, Harry had a new team picked out. They were better than last year, for sure. Cormac had tried out for Keeper, and he was bloody good, but Ron managed to block one more shot than him. Although it wasn't with grace, it justified Harry's biased decision. It's not like there was any foul play, I mean, Ron _did_ block more than Cormac. If only.

Hermione and I were walking off the stands and back to the common room to wait for the boys when I nudged her playfully, making her look over at me confused.

"What?"

"You used Confundus on Cormac," I told her nonchalantly, smiling.

"It's not like it was a game or anything. They're only tryouts!" she began to panic, obviously thinking I was going to rat her out or something.

"Calm down, Hermione," I grinned.

She relaxed when she saw that I wasn't going to tell. "Merlin, Rebecca!" she tried to control her breathing. I stifled a laugh, seeing her control her reaction to cheating- something she didn't take lightly.

"It's cute that you like Ron enough to help him out a bit," I commented.

"I like what?" Hermione asked.

"You like Ron," I smiled. "Why else would _you_, of all people, cheat?" I asked.

"Your mad," she told me, though I could tell she knew I was telling the truth.

"Whatever," I smiled.

* * *

><p>Later that night, we four were sitting around the fire in the common room, Dean having to catch up on some work and then had gone off to bed. Ron was sitting on the couch above Harry and Hermione while I was sitting in a near by chair, curled up and reading a bit of my book, though I wasn't really paying attention.<p>

"I have to admit, I did think I was going to miss that last one," Ron commented. "I hope Cormac isn't taking it too hard,"

Hermione and I gave each other a look before Hermione looked back down at her newspaper nervously.

"He's got a bit of a thing for you Hermione. Cormac,"

This caused Hermione to look up at Ron in surprise. "He's vile," was all she said before we all got quiet again.

"Have you two ever heard this spell?" Harry asked, making me look up at his marked in Potions book. "Sectumsempra?"

"No, I haven't!" Hermione exclaimed, making Harry jump back a bit. "And if you had a shred of self respect you'd hand that book in!" she added.

"Not bloody likely," Ron smirked. "He's top of the class. He's even better than you, Rebecca. Slughorn thinks he's a genius,"

It was probably the fact that the word genius had been used and Hermione's name hadn't even been mentioned that made her jump up and reach her hand out toward Harry's potion's book. "I'd like to know whose that book was. Let's have a look, shall we?"

"No," Harry said quickly, holding the book possessively, standing up to escape her reach.

"Why not?" she mirrored his movements, even more eager to see now that he resisted.

"The binding is fragile," he defended. It was at that moment that I rose to my feet and made my way around the couch to wait for him to back up towards me.

"_The binding is fragile?_" she scoffed, her eyes glancing in my direction. As he retreated, his eyes on Hermione, he backed toward me slowly until…

"Got it," I smiled as I grabbed it out of Harry's hands, jumping away from him and back into my seat, opening it up and glancing through it before opening it to the inside of the front cover. "Who's the Half-blood Prince?" I asked, reading the name scrawled inside the cover.

"Who?" Hermione asked back, confused as well.

"That's what it says, right here. _This book is property of the Half-blood Prince_," I read it before my eyes lifted to Harry's. I quickly handed it back to him carefully, his eyes never leaving mine. "It's still all right," I told him before grabbing my own book and heading to bed.

* * *

><p>That night, I was awoke when Hermione's voice swept through my consciousness. Was it a bad thing that I wanted to punch her at this moment?<p>

"Rebecca… Rebecca…"

"What is it?" I whined as I rolled away from her.

"I can't sleep, I have to know," she told me quickly, pulling at my arm until I sat up in my bed with a grunt, opening my eyes.

"Alright," I whined again as I got up, rubbing my eyes. I slowly and hesitantly lifted myself from my beds warming comfort and put a sweater and some jeans on before following her out. It was rather early, I concluded, when I figured breakfast hadn't started yet. Could it be we were out before hours?

I followed her to the library and watched her dive into the shelves of books in search of a Half-blood Prince. After a dozen books of failure, I realized no one else was in the library. Not that many people came to read up on their studies in the morning, aside from us.

Seizing the moment, I began to move towards the restricted section. After unlocking the door and sliding in, I immediately noticed a change of temperature. I got the chills as I ran my finger down the binding of the books, searching for anything mentioning a Half-blood Prince.

"Rebecca!" Hermione appeared in the doorway.

"Merlin, Hermione! Ever heard of knocking?"

"Get out of there, someone's in here with us," she grabbed my hand, pulling me out of the secret room and shutting the door behind us. We hurried as quietly as we could and left the Library.

"So, find anything?" I asked as we began to take a more casual pace to our steps.

"Well… sort of," she started. "I found a student that used to go hear with the last name Prince. But the book was published _after_ she went here," she sighed before looking back up at me hopefully. "Did you find anything?"

"No,"

There was a moment of silence while we accepted our failure which was when I heard footsteps traveling down the hall. I looked up as a flash of platinum blond hair moved down the hall. It was Malfoy, walking down the corridors, looking just as suspicious as when he had been in Diagon Alley with his mum.

"Rebecca?" Hermione asked, stopping beside me. I quickly put a hand over her mouth before I started to follow Malfoy without hesitation. I followed him as silently as possible before I lost him at the turn of a corridor. I could no longer hear his footsteps and gave up on figuring which way to go.

"What was that about?" Hermione whispered eyes were wide, her hair disheveled, as she tried to make sense of it all while trying to breathe.

"Nothing," I told her.

Why was Malfoy suddenly all suspicious and paranoid looking?

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Can anyone say foreshadowing?<strong>


	7. Malfoy

The morning of the trip to Hogsmeade I woke up earlier than usual but seeing that it was near breakfast I got dressed and headed down to the Great Hall where I found Dean waiting for me. Dean greeted me with an arm round the waist and a kiss on the cheek. I was getting quite used to that now.

Once we were finished with breakfast I grabbed my Gryffindor scarf and we headed with the rest of the school towards the main doors where Filch was standing with his Secrecy Sensor. A quick once over with that (and the usual suspicious look) Dean and I walked together to Hogsmeade.

"So where d'you want to go?" Dean asked when we reached the village.

"Is there anywhere _to_ go?" I asked. Looking around I saw that a few of the shops had been boarded up, Zonko's Joke Shop being one of them which was a disappointment. "Er, anywhere as long as it's not Madam Puddifoot's teashop," I said as my eyes fell on a sickly looking red and pink shop.

Dean laughed, wrapping his arms round my waist from behind.

"A girl after my own heart," he chuckled as he gave me a soft kiss on the neck. "Well how about we stop in Honeydukes and then head for a Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks,"

"Sounds perfect,"

Dean wrapped his arm round my waist and we set off for Honeydukes. It was as busy as usual and so it was a scramble to get to the front desk to pay for things we bought. I got some Sugar Quills to suck on during Transfiguration along with some of the nougat Lupin liked, to give him for Christmas. Otherwise, I didn't really feel like buying a load of candy. After Dean had paid for his sweets we left for the Three Broomsticks.

We walked in and moved to a small booth on the far side of the room in a dimly lit corner. We ordered two butterbeers and sat, quietly talking about trivial things like favorite music and family things (though we didn't stay on that subject for very long.

At one point in the conversation, I held a finger up in front of Dean's face before he could even get another word out. "Hey, you have already teased me enough about my lack of experience at sixteen, so don't you dare insult my intelligence," I growled sarcastically.

"What intelligence?" he murmured.

I quickly smacked him on the arm before taking his hand in mine. "Don't insult MY intelligence Mr. I'll-Just-Add-This-To-My-Potion-And-Expect-It-To-Work," I chuckled.

"It thought it would!" Dean exclaimed with a smile.

I just rolled my eyes and chuckled at him, looking back down at our hands, touching the back of Dean's soft hand and making random designs on it.

"You know, your cute when your rolling your eyes," I heard Dean say as he leaned toward me.

I blushed and I looked up at Dean who was now inches from me. "You are a horrible liar, Dean Thomas," I whispered.

"I have my opinion, you have yours," he smiled before his lips met mine.

Apparently I wasn't half bad at this kissing thing, considering Dean tended to kiss me a lot. I didn't really know what I was doing, I mean, I was learning on the go after all. I mustn't be to bad at it though, since, as I said before, Dean tended to kiss me a lot. The whole kissing experience was sort of weird for me, but I was getting used to it. I had actually come to like the warm pulse that ran through me when I kissed Dean, it was thrilling.

Eventually we had to separate though, partially for air, and partially because Ginny and Michael walked in hand in hand. They were happy to see use and wanted to join, and we could hardly refuse, it'd be rude.

After a while of talking, I spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermione sitting on the other side of the room. Ron was glaring at Michael, who was apparently sitting a little too close to his sister, Hermione was tipping over slightly because of the two empty glasses in front of her, and Harry was trying desperately trying to look over at us, since he was trying talk to Ron and Hermione who were otherwise occupied with whatever they were doing.

Then, from some signal from Harry, the three got up and moved to leave.

"Dean," I smiled, pulling on his sleeve. "There's Harry, Hermione, and the big angry Ron. Let's go catch up with them,"

"But I thought we were going to stay here for a while," Dean commented.

"Please?" I asked. After all, our drinks were empty, and Ginny and Michael were looking as if they were about ready to jump each other or something, with how close they were.

Dean sighed and slid out of the booth, pulling me with him by our still clasped hands. "See you," Dean waved to the couple before he and I moved toward where Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood (or swayed).

"Harry!" I called to him as I waved.

Harry turned and looked at me with a sober expression before he waved back. It was weird actually, considering he was usually more warm than this, especially in cold weather.

"Rebecca! Becky! Becca! Becs!" Hermione smiled as she turned toward me.

Can anyone say buzzed? Alright, if you can't, say tipsy.

"Hey, Hermione," I smiled.

"I saw you," she smiled, trying to discreetly point to where Dean and I had been sitting.

I blushed scarlet, but didn't let it spread to my hair.

"You two are so sweet together," Hermione nodded as if she had just decided it before turning and walking out of the door.

"Maybe it's a good thing we're coming along," I murmured to Dean as he and I started following Hermione, letting Harry and Ron trail behind us.

"As long as we don't have to carry her back," Dean chuckled.

"I don't think she's that drunk," I told him.

"You don't?" Dean asked, sounding disappointed.

"What? Were you excited to hold her hair back as she vomited?" I asked, rolling my eyes. I'd have to do that, not him.

Suddenly Hermione stopped and waited until Dean and I stopped right behind her. She then wrapped an arm around Dean's and my shoulders, separating us from each other since she was now in the middle. Dean and I looked over Hermione's head and just rolled our eyes at each other before a scream made us come to a stop.

Leanne was staring wide eyed down at Katie Bell, who must have collapsed onto the ground, only, Katie's eyes were wide open.

"I warned her," Leanne exclaimed desperately. "I warned her not to touch it,"

Katie then started twitching before her body started beginning yanked around, as if someone was tugging on her with an invisible rope. She then suddenly flew up and into the air where she suddenly stopped, her arms outstretched and her hair whipping around her face as if everything had been slowed to a mystical crawl before she dropped back down to the ground with a hard thud.

"Don't get any closer," I spun around to see Hagrid walking up to us, with a serious look on his face that he almost never wore. "Get back, all of you," he ordered us as he walked past us and over to Katie. He then scooped her small frail body into his massive arms before looking back at us. "Do not touch that, except by the wrappings. Do you understand?"

I looked over and down at the necklace strung out along the snow, having come loose of it's box. Harry was crouching over it, looking at it carefully as he pulled the wrappings and the box away from it. I shivered and took a step back from it, only to have Dean put a comforting arm around me, his face frozen in shock.

* * *

><p>Harry, Ron, Hermione, Leanne, Dean and I stood silently near the front of the McGonagall's office, the necklace in it's case, laying on McGonagall's desk as she circled it, giving it a fear filled look.<p>

"You're sure Katie did not have this in her possession when she entered the Three Broomsticks?" McGonagall asked.

"It's like I said," Leanne began. "She left to go to the loo, and when she came back she had the package. She said it was important that she deliver it,"

"Did she say to whom?" McGonagall asked.

"To Professor Dumbledore,"

Great, someone was trying to assassinate Dumbledore right under everyone's nose. They hadn't have managed it though, and to me it seemed sort of half assed.

"Very well. Thank you, Leanne. You may go," McGonagall then turned to the four of us (even though Dean was standing beside me) and sighed. "Why is it when something happens, it is always you four?"

"Believe me, Professor," Ron muttered. "I've been asking myself the same question for six year,"

I just rolled my eyes and smiled despite the grave situation and looked up at Dean. He didn't look to happy about being here, he had has arms crossed and his body angled away from me. I rolled my eyes again, it wasn't as if we were in trouble, it could be worse (even though Katie is in the hospital).

"Oh, Severus," McGonagall sighed as Snape swept into the room and up to her desk. He pulled out his wand and levitated the necklace up and into the air in front of the two of them to further examine it. All the animals in the room began to freak out around us, making me glance around nervously.

"I think Miss Bell, is lucky to be alive," Snape finally said as he let the necklace lower back into it's box.

"She was cursed, wasn't she?" Harry asked beside me. "I know Katie. Off the pitch, she wouldn't hurt a fly. If she was delivering that to Dumbledore, she wasn't doing it knowingly,"

"Yes, she was cursed," McGonagall nodded, answering his earlier question as she and Snape still stared down at the necklace.

"It was Malfoy," Harry said immediately.

Everyone stopped whatever they were doing and turned to stare at Harry openly. What the hell was he doing, just accusing him outright? Was he trying to be stupid?

McGonagall spoke first. "That is a very serious accusation, Potter,"

"Indeed," Snape agreed with a glare. "Your evidence?"

"I just know,"

I tried desperately to keep myself from rolling my eyes, and it was really hard, but I managed it.

"You just… know," Snape repeated slowly, making me cringe. "Again you astonish me with your gifts, Potter. Gifts mere mortals can only dream of possessing. How grand it must be to be the Chosen One,"

"I suggest you go back to your dormitories," McGonagall spoke up again. "All of you,"

I followed the everyone out of the room, following Dean. I followed nearly all the way back to Griffindor Tower, except by then I was glaring at the back of his head annoyed. Why wasn't he talking to me? I grabbed his hand and yanked him with me down a deserted hallway, forcing him into a wall so that I could glare up at him.

"What's wrong?" I asked outright.

"Oh I don't know," Dean growled sarcastically. "Maybe it's the fact that because of my girlfriend I just witnessed one of my friends get cursed and tossed around like a rag doll,"

"It's not like I cursed her, Dean," I growled back at him. "It's not like I planned for us to follow the Harry and the others out of the Three Broomsticks so we could watch what we did,"

"Yeah, but we did, all because your so caught up in your friends instead of being with me," Dean shouted down at me.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"Hogsmeade has been the only time we've had to ourselves, except maybe between classes," Dean shouted. "The rest of the time you're caught up with Chosen One business,"

"It's always been like that!" I exclaimed. "I've never had friends and I am proud to be friends with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. If you're angry with me for spending time with my friends instead of having my whole world revolve around you, then fine!"

I stomped off and kept walking until the red haze cleared, and let my hair turn back to it's normal dark brown. I hoped Dean hadn't notice the change of color in my hair. I stopped and growled deep in my chest before hitting the wall with my fist, instantly regretting it.

I glanced up and towards the end of the hall I was in to see a flash of black and platinum blonde rush past. Malfoy? I quickly and silently rushed down the hall and followed Malfoy down a string of corridors, which led to the Room of Requirement. He stood before it for a moment before the door appeared and he stepped inside silently before the door sealed itself again. What was he doing in there?

I stepped toward the door and wished hard for the door to appear, wishing for a place to hide something. There was a soft moving sound, and I smiled as I moved into the room. It was different, as I knew it would be, since instead of practicing fighting, it was now equipped to hide anything.

I spotted platinum blonde and followed Draco carefully through the piles, only getting lost once before I finally found him walking toward me holding an apple with one bite missing.

"Draco-"

"What are you doing here?" he growled in surprise, looking horrified that I had found him.

"The truth? Following you," I told him. "I want to talk to you. I wanted to know if you maybe wanted to talk,"

"Why?" he bit out.

"Because… I'm worried about you," I told him, lying, though after I said it, it felt less like I lie than I thought it would.

"Yeah right," Draco scoffed. "We've hated each other since first year, why would you care about me now?"

"Because I know something's going on," I told him, getting an uncomfortable look from him. "You've been sneaking around, you're looking more sick than usual-"

"Why do you care?" he repeated.

"Truth?" I asked. I sighed and looked down at the nearest thing to me, a small picture frame with a couple on it, the boy carved out of it. "Because I learned something last year that would surprise you,"

"Yeah? Try me, Sherwood," Draco smiled, crossing his arms.

"Well, first of all, my last name isn't actually Sherwood," I told him, getting a curious look. "It's Black,"

"Yeah, and I'm a Longbottom," Draco laughed.

"It's true. I'm Sirius Black's daughter. I'm your cousin," I told him. "I'm sure you could get a hold of Bellatrix easily enough to check. She did, after all, help my stepfather kill my mother, she made my mother confess the whole thing," I told him.

Draco eyed me for a second before making his decision. "So you're really my cousin?" he asked.

"Yep," I answered shortly. "Why would I lie about being a _Black_?"

Draco glared at me for a second for that comment before he sighed and started walking away from me, down a different aisle.

"Where are you going?" I asked, running after him.

"I don't have anything to tell you. You may possibly be my cousin, but your still one of Potter's lapdogs," Draco told me as the exit came into my view.

"Does that mean you have something to hide?" I asked, making him stop in his tracks before he spun on me.

"You want trouble or something… Black?" Draco growled low.

"No, but I know something's going on, and despite what you may believe, I'm worried about you. We may have hated each other since first year, but we were friends before that, and we _are _cousins now. Whatever this is, is affecting you. You can talk to me," I told him.

Draco watched me for a long moment, and I knew he saw the sincerity in my face, though I knew he didn't want to believe it. After that long moment, he suddenly turned and ran out of the Room of Requirement, leaving me in silence as the door slammed shut behind him.

* * *

><p><strong>*Third Person*<strong>

Harry and Ron were laying in their beds silently, dressed and ready for bed, but neither of them made to actually go to sleep. Ron lay awake staring at the ceiling, thinking about his sister and his two best girl friends. Harry on the other hand was looking at the Marauder's Map, watching one point in particular.

Rebecca Black.

He had noticed that she hadn't come back with trio after leaving Professor McGonagall's office. She had disappeared with Dean.

He was watching her now, as her feet stood near Dean Thomas' and he hoped he wasn't unintentionally and unknowingly watching them snog through the Marauder's Map. But to his luck, he watched as Rebecca moved away from Dean quickly as if she was trying to get as far away from him as possible.

"What do you suppose Michael sees in her? Ginny?" Ron asked suddenly, making Harry break eye contact with Rebecca's spot.

"Well, what does she see in him?" Harry asked back.

"Michael? No bloody idea," Ron sighed.

"Well…" Harry eyed the Marauder's Map as he watched Rebecca turn down yet another hall. "Think of it like this. What do you think Rebecca sees in Dean?" Harry asked cleverly.

"Well, he's brilliant," Ron told him, making Harry start and turn to Ron.

"What?" Harry asked in surprise. "You called both him and Michael a slick git not five hours ago,"

"Yeah, well, watching Dean run his hands all over Rebecca is just as bloody enraging as when Michael does it to my sister, isn't it? Something snaps, and you gotta hate him, you know? On principle," Ron explained, staring off.

"I suppose," Harry said, laying back down and watch Rebecca's dot as it stopped suddenly.

"So, what is it he sees in her?" Ron suddenly asked.

"Who?" Harry asked half mindedly.

"Michael and Dean," Ron told him.

"I don't know. She's smart, funny. Attractive," Harry told Ron half mindedly as he watch Rebecca through the Marauder's Map, thinking of her.

"Attractive?" Ron asked, finding that a weird thing to say.

"You know, she's got nice skin," Harry tried, feeling uncomfortable now.

"Skin? Michael is dating my sister because of her skin?" Ron asked now thinking sole of his sister.

"Well, no, I mean… I'm just saying it could be a contributing factor," Harry tried again.

There was a long awkward moment of silence before either Ron or Harry spoke again.

"…Hermione's got nice skin," Ron contemplated. "Wouldn't you say? As skin goes, I mean,"

Harry eyed Ron before he answered. "I've never really thought about it. But, I suppose, yeah. Very nice," There was another very long moment of awkward silence before Harry gave the map one last look and laid it down on his bedside table. "I think I'll be going to sleep now,"

Harry laid his glasses on the table and shut his eyes to go to sleep. What he missed however, was Rebecca's name disappearing, right behind Malfoy's.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Malfoy!<strong>


	8. I'm Sorry

***First Person***

About a week later, I was sitting in the common room by myself reading my book next to the fire. Harry had been very quiet lately, which was the opposite of Ron and Hermione, who had been fighting a lot lately, which was odd. Ron also seemed to be in bad mood when ever Ginny and Michael were around, which also put Ginny in a bad mood which usually resulted in the two siblings fighting. Draco was ignoring me at every turn, however, it also meant he didn't insult me anymore, which made me wonder if this was a step in the right direction. Dean hadn't spoken to me since our fight in the corridor after Katie Bell had been curse.

It all angered me to no end. First of all, the thing with Dean wasn't even my fault, how was I supposed to know Dean and I would witness Katie Bell nearly dieing. Second of all, him being mad at me about spending too much time with my friends was the most stupid thing I had ever heard. Also, with everyone acting so weird, it put me on edge. What was going to happen next? Seamus was going to tap dance through the common room.

I was yanked out of my thoughts however, when a person who felt like they weighed half a ton sat on top of me.

"Dean! Get off! I'm dieing!" I tried to shout.

"Sorry, is the chair talking?" he asked, looking round as if looking for someone. "I didn't know chairs could do that," I had to try and stop laughing as he continued this for a few more moments before turning round. "Oh, hello. Was this seat taken?"

I looked up from beneath him and wheezed sarcastically, "A little. So … what's it going to take to get you to get off me?"

"Hmm," Dean though about that for a moment before he turned back to me, looking serious. "You forgiving me for last week. I was a jealous git and I had no right to be mad at you,"

I eyed him for a moment. Should I forgive him? I mean, what kind of idiot got mad at someone for hanging with their friends? However, I did like him, and he seemed sincere in his apology. I made my decision. "Well, if that was all you wanted," I smiled. "Yes, I forgive you,"

Dean smiled happily, doing a little fist pump, but didn't move off of me.

"Anything else?" I asked.

"Hmm," he thought about it before a smile spread across his face. "How about a kiss?"

I rolled my eyes and smiled up at Dean before I pulled myself up as best I could from underneath him. I then leaned up to him and I kissed him gently on the lips. Pulling back, I saw him grinning. "Now can you get off of me?"

"Not quite yet,"

Dean _did_ get off me, but switched our positions so I was no longer being squashed, and so I was sitting on him. Then, brushing back my hair Dean kissed me again. I felt a tingly feeling as his arms wrapped loosely around my waist making me smile and shiver a little.

It was only when I heard wolf whistling coming from the other side of the common room that we broke apart. Seamus, an angry looking Ron and a few older years were standing at the bottom of the stairs watching us. I just shook my head before resting my pink face against Dean's shoulder.

"Hey, Rebecca? Aren't you supposed to be at that Slugclub thing Harry and Hermione are going to?" Ron suddenly asked.

"Shitake mushrooms!" I exclaimed as I jumped off of Dean and ran with all speed up to my room, throwing on the first dressy thing I could find.

I threw on a dark blue blouse and a long black skirt that followed my long legs all the way to the ground. Luckily it was stretch so there would be no problem in running to the dinner, which was now probably half way through the main course now that I thought about it. I also brushed my hair and pun it into a messy bun before putting on a pair of black flats.

I ran down the stairs and kissed Dean on the cheek before taking off running toward Slughorn's chambers where the dinner was to be held. On the way there however, I slammed into something and went tumbling to the floor.

I looked up to find a Draco smiling down at me.

"Going somewhere?" he asked as he reached a hand out and helped me up.

"Slugclub," I muttered as I got my feet, groaning as my butt started to ache from a bruise that would no doubt appear by tomorrow.

"Aw, the fancy people with fancy grades dinner," Draco nodded.

"Not everyone there are 'fancy people'," I told him.

"Meaning you?" he asked.

"No," I growled. "You're not the only one that knows I'm a Black,"

"Hmm," Draco thought on that for a moment before moving past me. "See you later, Black,"

"See you, _cousin_," I smiled.

With that, I was off again, running until I slid to a stop in front of the Slughorn's door. I opened it slowly, and peeked in as I stepped inside. Everyone was seating at a small round table, everyone eating ice-cream politely, except for one boy would looked like he was trying to suffocate himself with it.

"Ah, Miss Sherwood! Come in! Come in!" Slughorn welcomed me.

I was happy to see Harry, Hermione, and Neville sitting across the table from Slughorn.

"I'm very sorry, sir. I'm not usually late-" I said, walking towards the empty seat next to Neville, near Harry. As soon as I touched the chair, Harry shot to his feet. I eyed him for a second before I slowly sat down, a pleased smile gracing my face. He'd been too focused on being a gentleman to think past the idea that no one stood when I girl went to sit, and now everyone was staring at us.

"No matter, just in time for dessert. That is, if Belby's left you any," he said before chuckling quirkily. I glanced towards the boy next to me, Belby, who had cleaned his bowl of ice cream. My gaze then moved to Cormac, who was attempting to seduce Hermione. I smothered my giggles with a long drink of sparkling juice.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I loved this chaptermoment/scene!**


	9. It Feels Like This

The first Quidditch match of the season was on the first Saturday of November, which was today. The Quidditch team had been down one player since Katie Bell had been curse and sent to St. Mungo's, meaning that Dean was now to replace her. Dean had been telling me how excited he was as he and I walked down in the hall, which was when I saw Slytherin's new badges. 'Weasley Is Our King'

I was now sitting at the Gryffindor table with Harry, Hermione, Dean, Seamus, and Ginny. I only turned to look up at the door as a pale Ron , who looked like his old nerves had come back, walked into the Great Hall, everyone on either side, Gryffindor or Slytherin cheering for him. Ron sat down on the other side of me with a thud as he gulped.

"So how was it then?" Ron asked, pushing his plate away from him, looking toward Hermione.

"How was what?" Hermione asked with a sigh, putting down her paper.

"Your dinner party?" Ron bit out.

"Pretty boring actually," Hermione bit back, before she smiled. "Though I think Harry enjoyed desert,"

I saw Harry freeze before he glared at Hermione. I just rolled my eyes and laid my head down on Dean's shoulder.

"Tired, are we?" Dean asked with a chuckle, obviously not paying attention to Ron and Hermione's conversation.

"Yes, I am," I admitted before I positioned my head on his shoulder again since he'd moved. "Stop moving your shoulder. It's my pillow," I whined.

He just chuckled and turned back to Seamus and began to talk again.

"Slughorn's having a Christmas do, you know," Hermione continued. "We're meant to bring someone,"

"I expect you'll be bringing McLaggen," Ron spat. "He's in the _Slugclub_ too, isn't he?"

"Actually, I was going to ask you,' Hermione correctly him, sounding annoyed.

"Really?" his tone changed entirely. I was curious to what he'd do next, had Lavender Brown not come over.

"Good luck today, Ron. I know you'll be brilliant," she breathed. I glanced at Hermione, who was obviously feeling venomous toward Lavender. Ron smiled forcedly at her until she walked away.

"I'm resigning," he decided instantly. "After today McLaggen can have my spot," he told us.

"Have it your way, then. Juice?" Harry offered, slapping a goblet in front of him, a small vial tucked under his palm.

"You look dreadful, Ron. Is that why you put something in his cup?" Luna asked. I glanced over at her in surprise, not even having noticed her until now. Her head was adorned with some sort of Lion headdress. "Is it a tonic?" she asked.

"Liquid luck?" I asked, looking questioningly toward Harry. He slipped the vial of Felix Felicis into his pocket, doing it rather clumsily.

"Don't drink that, Ron!" Hermione exclaimed quietly turning rigid.

I didn't know what was Hermione on about though. The cork was still in it vial and the bottle vial was full with the golden potion. I watched Harry for a few more seconds and his eyes met mine and saw a mischievous glint in them. I knew what her was doing, Harry was only trying to boost Ron's confidence and I had to admit this was a pretty good way of doing just that, even if it did fool Hermione as well. Seemed he did learn something from Umbridge last year after all.

Ron looked at all of us, hesitating to drink the juice for a moment before he gulped the entire drink down in one shot.

"You could be expelled for that," Hermione scolded.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry said casually, smiling.

"Come on, Harry, we've got a game to win!" Ron grinned determinedly before racing off with Harry.

* * *

><p>The game was barely fair, it was really hilarious actually. Without any Felix Felicis, Ron managed to keep every quaffle from going through the hope, and each time, he'd get the ground cheering widely for him. It was a real change in Ron, from barely keeping the quaffles from getting through, to doing it without a second thought and being brave afterward.<p>

At the end of the game, the whole Gryffindor house gathered into the common room to cheer on Ron, having him stand on the coffee table in the center of the room as confetti rained down on him. Everyone was chanting his name, everyone except Harry, Hermione, Dean and I who were standing near the portrait hole, talking amongst ourselves. Dean was telling me about the game on his front while I faintly registered Harry telling Hermione that he hadn't put the potion into his drink.

There was a loud cheer that broke through the chanting that made me look up from Dean to find Lavender snogging Ron in the center of the room. Part of me was happy for Ron, another part was pitying the fact he had just found himself an obsessive, clingy, girlfriend, the last part of me felt a pang of dread as Hermione raced past me, tears in her eyes.

Harry followed her, glancing at Dean and I before he disappeared through the portrait hole. I moved to follow so that I could comfort Hermione, but an arm held me back.

"Hey, come one. Stay here," Dean said as he pulled me back away from the portrait hole and toward him. "Harry can handle whatever's going on with Hermione,"

I sighed. "Yeah, you're right,"

* * *

><p><strong>*Third Person*<strong>

Harry walked through the portrait hole, glaring down at the ground. _Why Dean?_ he asked himself, as he stepped into the corridor and into cooler air. It annoyed him to no end that Rebecca was with Dean, especially when Hermione told him what had happened after Katie Bell was cursed. Dean didn't seem like a selfish guy, but it definitely rubbed Harry the wrong way to hear a story like that.

But now that Harry was outside, his mind was brought back to Hermione as he followed the sound of her sobs to a deserted stairwell. As he walked down it, he caught sight of her at the bottom crying, with sparrows flying around her head like she was some sort of woodland creature. He approached her slowly until he stood one step higher than the one she sat at, causing her to look up at him in surprise before she quickly wiped her tears.

"Charms spell," she explained, meaning the sparrows. "I'm just practicing,"

"Well, they're really good," Harry told her as he sat next to her, leaning until his elbows touched his knees.

"How does it feel, Harry?" Hermione suddenly asked him, her voice breaking on every other word as she continued crying. "When you see Dean with Rebecca?"

Harry started, before he painted a look of confusion of his face looking away from her. "Oh… um," he started, but Hermione interrupted him.

"I know," Hermione told him as another tear fell from her eye, a sad jealousy welling up inside of her chest. "I see the way you look at her. You're my best friend, you both are,"

Suddenly, an annoying, snorty laugh filled the room as Ron and Lavender stumbled in. The couple stumbled to a stop at the sight of Hermione and Harry sitting on the stairs, Hermione crying softly.

Harry knew what Hermione was feeling in this moment, and wanted to bash Ron upside the head for letting the feeling hit Hermione, as he knew it was. Harry scooted over slightly, as if to come between Ron and Hermione, or to block the feeling from hitting Hermione too hard, but the two of them knew it didn't work that way.

"Oops," Lavender muttered, as she saw Hermione. "I think this room is taken," she smiled before she skipped off, expecting Ron to follow her.

"What's with the birds?" Ron asked, eyeing the sparrows that flew in a circle above Hermione's head.

Hermione, feeling anger well up in her, stood and glared at him. Ron wasn't kind to her in the slightest, so why had she helped him? If she hadn't put the Confundus Charm on Cormac then Ron wouldn't have become Keeper, he wouldn't have been in this game, Lavender would have kissed him and Hermione wouldn't be feeling like this. Hermione was done helping Ron.

"_Oppugno_," her muttered angrily, her voice breaking a little as she said the spell. The bird flew around her head in a tight circle before flying at Ron, causing him to duck and run until they hit the door as he past it, exploding into little puffs of feathers.

Ron stared at her wide eyed for a second before he left, feeling utterly confused.

Hermione broke down again, feeling pain stab at her heart, making her eyes grow hot as more tears blurred her vision. She dropped down on one of the steps and started sobbing again. Harry moved down a step and sat close to her, letting her latch onto his arm and cry on his shoulder.

All Harry said was; "It feels like this,"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Y'all know i had to have this scene! It was just so romantic in a sad way.<strong>


	10. Plus One

"Oh it says plus one!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly as she and Hermione were looking over the invites. "We can bring dates,"

"You'll be taking me then?" Dean asked with a toothy grin as he smiled down at me. He had been sitting beside me, doing some homework while I was reading. "Actually I thought I'd take someone else," I told with such convincing sincerity Dean actually stood up.

"Who?" he demanded, making Harry and Ron, who were playing chess at a table off to the side, look up.

"Ginny Weasley, of course," I smiled walking over to where she had sat down, reading her invitation. Michael, her boyfriends, looked up from his gobstones game with Neville as I sat dramatically in her lap and put my arms around her. "Ginny, would you go to the party with me?" I asked.

"Hey! I though you going to ask me!" Hermione exclaimed with a giggle.

"Sorry, hun," I smiled over at her.

"I don't know. I think my boyfriends wouldn't approve," Ginny began sarcastically before a smile spread across her face. "Okay!"

"Hey!" Michael exclaimed, standing.

"I thought we agreed to share," Ginny said. "You know I can't choose,"

"Alright, come on," Dean chuckled.

Dean walked over to Ginny and I and practically lifted me off of Ginny before carrying me back to the couch, making me squeal, a bit afraid that he might drop me at any moment. He didn't though, and he set me down, letting me lay out against the couch, putting my arms out along the back of the couch, feeling like a stretching cat.

"I thought this time you wouldn't mind sharing," I smiled, getting back to what we had been saying.

"I do mind," Dean said serious as he sat next to me before kissing me softly for a long moment. "So who are you taking?" he asked.

"Hmm," I pretended to think long and hard about his question before I smiled. "I think I'll take Hermione,"

"Oh shut up," Dean laughed as he kissed me again.

* * *

><p><strong>*Third Person*<strong>

"You'll be taking me then?" Harry heard Dean ask Rebecca from where the couple sat on the couch.

"Actually I thought I'd take someone else," Rebecca said, to Harry's surprise, making him look up at her as Dean jumped up.

"Who?"

"Ginny Weasley, of course," Harry watched as Rebecca smiled brightly, making his heart beat a little faster. He watched as she walked over to where Ginny had sat, and sat down in her lap and putting her arms around Ginny. "Ginny, would you go to the party with me?"

"Hey! I though you going to ask me!" Hermione exclaimed with a giggle.

"Sorry, hun," Rebecca smiled, leaning backwards so that he long dark hair fell over her shoulder.

"I don't know. I think my boyfriends wouldn't approve," Harry could hear Ginny saying as he watch Rebecca. "Okay!"

"Hey!" Michael exclaimed.

"I thought we agreed to share," Ginny said. "You know I can't choose,"

"Alright, come on," Dean chuckled.

Harry watched as Dean walked over to Rebecca and lifted her off of Ginny and carried her back to the couch, making her squeal, a noise he had never heard in the six years he had none her. Harry watched as Rebecca stretched across the couch, doing interesting things to her shirt, before he watched another smile grace her face.

"I thought this time you wouldn't mind sharing," Rebecca smiled, getting back to what we had been saying.

"I do mind," Dean said before he leaned in and kissed Rebecca.

At the sight, Harry wanted to get up and punch something. He hated seeing Rebecca and Dean be so close, he hated these feelings he had! For him to feel this way for someone, why'd it have to be Rebecca, his best friend, the one with a boyfriend? The first part of the question he could answer easily, but the last part was a mystery to him. So instead of punching something, Harry just looked away and back down to the chess board.

"So who are you taking?" he heard Dean ask.

"Hmm, I think I'll take Hermione," Rebecca giggled.

"Oh shut up,"

There was another long silence that made Harry's stomach coil, but he kept his eyes locked on the chess board.

"Your turn,"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Random moment where you get to see both sides of it.<strong>


	11. A Slugclub Christmas

***First Person***

The Christmas party wasn't bad as I thought it's be, though there were a lot of reporters, and mostly famous peoples children that went to Hogwarts instead of those who got good grades in Slughorn's classes. I mean, Neville was there, but he was there as a waiter.

The room the party was being held in was larger than I'd remembered it, with emerald, crimson, and gold drapes around the walls to make it seem like a giant tent. A red light bathed the room, cast from a golden lamp in the middle of the room giving off it's own brilliant glowing light. Loud singing accompanied by some unidentified instrument, issued from a distant corner.

For this occasion, I was dressed up as well as I could, wearing a dark green dress it was simple and long, and perfect for Christmas, but not for Hogwarts houses. My hair I had up in a loose braid that fell down my back, with some feathers mixed into it. I thought it would have been cute, but it just kinda looked like I had a pillow fight or something. Dean was dress smartly in his tux, though sometimes I wondered whose it actually was, since it looked a little big for him in some areas.

Hermione had been dumb and brought Cormac who was trying to snog her at every turn. The only thing that stopped him was her incessant talking and her needing to go off every once in a while. It sort of served her right for bringing him.

Harry had been smart and brought Luna, who was dressed in a interesting purple dress. She mostly stayed close to Dean and I since Harry had been pulled away by Slughorn and she didn't seem to know anyone else. I found it fun to speak with her though, since the party was basically boring.

"Rebecca!" I spun to find Hermione running towards me at full kilter, grabbing my hand as she past Dean, pulling me with her.

"See you in-" I started to say, but I was already long gone.

Hermione finally stopped as we reached a curtain and hid behind it. "I can't stand it anymore!" Hermione exclaimed quietly, peaking through the curtain to make sure no one had hear her.

"What are you going to do?" I asked, knowing she meant Cormac.

"If I leave the party early, will you explain it to Cormac?" she asked, looking desperate. "Say I have the flu? That I needed to do homework? Anything,"

"Of course," I smiled giving her a quick hug. "But promise me that you won't do anything stupid like this unless you tell me about it first,"

Hermione sighed and smiled before nodding enthusiastically.

"Good," I smiled before peaking through the curtain. "Not hurry before he sees you. I'll take care of it if her asks me about you," I told her.

"Have I told you you're my favorite?" she asked with a chuckle before she slipped out of the room.

I rolled my eyes and stepped out from behind the curtain and moved back into the party, looking around the room to try and find Dean and Luna. But before I could find them, I found Harry who had been talking to Snape who suddenly walked off, cutting off the conversation. I stopped next to him as the door to the room slammed open, letting in Mr. Filch and Draco.

"Professor Slughorn, sir," Mr. Filch began happily, stopping in front of a swaying Slughorn as the room turned silent. "I just discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party,"

Draco glared at Filch before he began to speak. "Okay, okay-"

"I invited him," I interrupted, stepping up and in front of Draco, facing Slughorn instead of Filch. "I must have forgot. I'm like that sometimes," I told him.

"Well let the boy stay!" Professor Slughorn laughed a little too loud. "The more the merrier!" he announced, though he slurred his words.

The party slowly went back to normal as people turned away from Draco and I and began to talk and the music began to play again. I turned and looked up at Draco, who was smirking down at me.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed at him.

"I thought you invited me... cousin," he smiled as he grabbed my arm and pulled me off to the side of the room.

"I didn't," I growled at him. "Now, what are you doing here?"

"None of your business," Draco bit out.

"It became my business when you were dragged in here," I bit back.

"I think that will be enough for tonight, Mr. Malfoy," a smooth voice said, making both Draco and I jump. I looked up to find that Snape had appeared beside us, looking down at Draco. "I'll escort him back to the dungeons, Miss Sherwood," Snape told us before carting Draco off without another word.

I sighed and brushed my bangs off to the side before turning around to see Dean glaring at me openly. "Dean-" I began but he cut me off with a hand before moving out of the room and down one of the deserted halls. "Dean, wait!" I called.

He stopped and spun on me. "What was that? You _invited_ him? Why are you suddenly saving Draco Malfoy, Slytherin king and bully?" he exclaimed.

"It's complicated-" I tried.

"Then spell it out for me," Dean interrupted me.

I took in a deep breath to calm myself. "Draco's my cousin. That's why I said I invited him to the party," I told him.

"Since when have you been Draco Malfoy's cousin?" Dean spat. "Or are you just making stuff up now?"

"I'm not making stuff up!" I exclaimed.

"Then why were you being nice to him?"

My anger was burning brighter and brighter as I watched him glaring down at me, and then I remembered something… I didn't need to date him. I wasn't my mum, having to be with someone she didn't want, that was horrible.

"You know what? I'm done," I told him with a relieved laugh.

"What?"

"I'm breaking up with you," I told him plainly. "The truth is that I've been nice to Draco for who knows how long, because he's my cousin. I saved him tonight because he's my cousin, but you don't believe me," I told him angrily. "I'm tired of you always being jealous of the time I spend with my _friends_. I find it stupid that you got mad at me for no reason despite you ending up in McGonagall's office with me. I mean, you weren't even in trouble!" I exclaimed. "And you know what, as sweet as you are sometimes, I don't need you nagging me!"

"So you're breaking up with me over nothing?" Dean asked angrily.

"Aren't you even listening to me?" I shouted.

"Yes, and you want to break up with me because of nothing besides the little things I do and I want for us," Dean told me.

"Well you know what? I see it differently," I shouted. "I'm done dating you, Dean. You know what? I'm done dating _period_!"

I spun on my heel and tried desperately not to run back to Gryffindor Tower, running up to my bed, ignoring Hermione as she tried to get me to tell her what was wrong, and cried myself to sleep.

* * *

><p>The next day, we were in the train home, or in Harry and my case, to the Burrow with Ron to spend Christmas with the Weasleys, since neither of us had parents anymore. Once Harry, Ron and I sat down in the compartment, Ron had immediately asked why my eyes were so red, causing Harry's head to snap up. I had forgotten to fix that before I got on the train this morning! I looked away from both of them and left the compartment, running to the nearest bathroom I could find so that I could fix my red puffy eyes.<p>

Once I came out, I found Hermione coming toward me, looking angry and frustrated.

"What is it, Hermione"" I asked as I led her to a surprisingly empty compartment. "Lavender?"

She nodded. "Dean?" she asked.

I shrugged. "Dean, Draco and Harry," I corrected.

"Ow," she winced.

"Yeah," I sighed. "Last night, after you had left, I went looking for Dean when Filch dragged Draco in. For the past month or so, I've been trying to find out what's been going on with Draco, so I said I had invited him and convinced Slughorn to let him stay. After that, Draco wouldn't tell me what he had been up to, and then Snape took him out into the hall. Dean saw the whole thing and started yelling at me so I got tired of everything and dumped him, which was why I was crying last night," I explained.

"And Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I've had a crush on Harry since fifth year, and I think, maybe, possibly, if I'm not imagining things, just this year he might possibly, maybe like me back," I said, shrinking down, hoping Hermione wouldn't start laughing at my fantasies and then berate me.

"Lavender drew a heart with her and Ron's initials on the compartment door," she told me.

I pursed my lips, unsatisfied with both of our situations.

"It can't last much longer, him and Lavender. The honeymoon phase has got to end sometime. He didn't let her in, did he?" Hermione shook her head. I nodded with a knowing smile. "He's getting sick of her,"

Now it was her turn to fix my problem.

"Draco had been taking advantage of your kindness and he'll probably never tell you what he's up to, if he is up to anything that is. You shouldn't worry about Dean to much, you told me about everything and to me I think it's best that you two broke up, not to mention you like someone else. As for Harry, I always knew you liked him, you're my best friend after all, and I'm a girl so it was easy to read," she told me. "I think if you wait long enough, and with the right inspiration, Harry will come around," Hermione smiled.

"You're horrible," I giggled.

"No," Hermione smiled. "Horrible would be if I asked you to morph into Ron and ran up to Lavender and dumped her in front of everyone on the platform,"

I smiled. "True,"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I'm sorry to those of you that likedlike Dean, I'm one of you, I swear. But i had to get rid of him somehow without making him totally horrible.**


	12. The Burrow

Christmas Eve day started with all of us running outside after breakfast for a huge snowball fight. Not to anyone's surprise, the twins immediately teamed up against the rest of us. I quickly grabbed up as many snowballs as I could and tossed the snowballs at the twins, ducking and diving as they threw theirs at me. After a half hour of that, I shrunk down until I was the cutest six year old I could think of, and ran toward the twins, looking up at them with big eyes.

"Don't hit me with snow," I whimpered, reaching a hand up toward them.

"To bad," they said together before they pummeled me with snow, making me sheik as I went back to my normal form and ran behind a tree.

Suddenly snow flew down my shirt, making me squeal and force my had down the front of my shirt to get it out. I heard a familiar laugh and looked up to find Harry laughing his butt off.

"Oh you asked for it, boy wonder," I growled before taking off after him, bending down to scoop up a big snowball as he ran into the trees. We chased after each other, ducking behind trees and running at each other at full speed, throwing snow balls a each other like some sort of muggle spy movie. We were acting like we were nine years old.

Suddenly, it became Harry who kept chasing me around the field of trees chucking as many snowballs at me as possible while I was running backwards to be able to dodge them, also throwing the occasional one at him. Harry may be good at avoiding Bludgers but throw a snowball at him, it'll hit him every time. We were outside for so long that snow was starting to fall around us until Harry caught me round the waist and we fell to the ground. He ended our own little snowball fight the game by pressing a snowball right on my head and rubbing it into my hair.

"Harry!" I shrieked. "Stop! It's cold! Please! Stop! _Harry_!"

I was getting wet and very cold now that Harry was pressing down and into the snow. I was done playing. I wanted to be warm again!

"Say I win," Harry laughed.

"I win!" I shouted happily. Well, he _did_ tell me to say '_I_ win'.

Harry pressed another piled of snow into my hair, making me squeal and squirm beneath him. I tried to push him off but he was too heavy and I was laughing to much.

"OK! You win! You win! I surrender! Stop!"

"That's better," Harry chuckled before he stood, reaching a hand down to help me to my feet.

I brushed myself off quickly, getting the chunks off snow out of places cold things shouldn't be before I looked up at Harry, who was smiling brightly at me. I started chuckling and moved toward him to fix his crooked glasses, hair a mess and full of snow.

"You've got snow in your hair," I told him as I reached up and let my fingers trail over his hair, brushing off the snow. It was so softer than I remembered from the last time I had touched it.

As I pulled back my hand I felt it get taken but my eyes were still gazing into his. Though my heart felt like it was pounding in my chest I could barely feel myself breathe. He was so close to me. He was looking down at me, his face so near to mine that I could feel his breath on my face.

I smiled, turning away from him and moving toward the Burrow. "Come on, boy wonder," I called back to him.

Harry caught up to me easily, nudging me with his shoulder as he drew up beside me, nearly knocking me over. I rolled my eyes at him and nudged him back before the Burrow came into sight, Fred and George standing in the doorway.

"Come on, you two," "If you do that out there-" "-Harry could loose something important-" "-We have enough rooms inside for you to use," the twins yelled to us.

My hair turned a bright red, partially because of the anger that flared up in me because of what the twins had said, and partially because of the embracement that flashed through me. Not to mention that fluttering feeling I felt in my stomach at the thought of anything like that.

Harry and I entered the house in silence, not looking at each other as the twins told us that lunch would be ready any minute and to go clean up. I rushed upstairs to Ginny's room before stealing to bathroom for quick shower before changing.

When I came down after changing, the whole house was filled with the most wonderful smells that made my mouth water. The lunch ended up being amazing. There was not an inch of the table in view as the food piled up. Ginny and I were in charge of helping Mrs. Weasley cook it seeing as she didn't want to put up with Fleur in the kitchen by herself. Mrs. Weasley really didn't like her future daughter-in-law and to be honest, when she told me I needed a haircut, I wasn't too fond of her either. Ginny was still calling her Phlegm behind her back. Good way to deal with her frustration I guess. At just after twelve, the rest of those gathered there came into the dining room and we sat down to Christmas lunch. It was a relaxed meal although it did have it's high points, like when Ron nearly spilled gravy all over Fleur.

"You are as bad as zat Tonks," she said indignantly which made me glare at her. There was nothing wrong with Tonks, she was just clumsy.

"I invited _dear_ Tonks to come along today," Mrs. Weasley said, adding emphasis as she placed down a dish of carrots. "But she wouldn't come. Have you spoken to her lately, Remus?"

I looked at Lupin as he replied, "No, I haven't been in contact with anybody very much. But Tonks has got her own family to go to, hasn't she?"

It was strange. As he'd answered, Lupin had looked almost uncomfortable to talk about it. I mean, while the two of them had been staying at Grimmauld Place with me over the summer, I had gotten the impression that the two of them were together. Were they fighting or something?

* * *

><p>The night of Christmas day, the night before we were to return to Hogwarts, I was heading to bed after saying goodbye to Lupin when I spotted Harry sitting on the stairs looking out the window. He stood when I came closer, making me feel sort of awkward as I stood there in front of him.<p>

"You heading to bed?" I asked, not sure what else to say, or else run past him rudely and up to bed.

"Not yet," Harry shrugged.

"Planning on catching Santa in the act?" I asked with a grin.

"There isn't a Santa," Harry said, looking confused.

I stuck my lower lip out and crossed my arms over my chest, trying to act like a five year old. "Yes there is! There is a Santa!"

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "Alright, alright,"

I smiled at my victory before giving him a quick hug, pulling away before that fluttery awkward feeling could set into my stomach. "Merry Christmas,"

"Merry Christmas," he smiled back.

Just then, a fire erupted outside the window.. Harry and I looked out to see that a ring of fire had appeared around the house. A plume of black smoke touched down to reveal a grinning Bellatrix Lestrange, my murderous cousin who had killed both my parents within a year of each other.

Within a second of her appearing, I was racing down the stairs, my wand drawn as I reached the door, Harry yelling after me. "Is my half-breed morphing cousin here, dog?" I could hear Bellatrix yell to Lupin before I came into view, running past both he and the Weasleys. "Never mind, I found the next best thing. A blood traitor!"

"Rebecca!" I could hear them yelling to me as I raced after Bellatrix, running past the ring of fire and following her into the tall weeds.

"I killed Sirius Black! I killed Sirius Black!" she sang as she ran away from me, taunting me. "You coming to get me? Rebecca, can you get me? You coming to get me because I killed your mother?"

"Shut up! Come out and face me!" I screamed, still running on lengthened legs, lengthened so much that the were beginning to hurt. "You don't fight fair ever do you? You killed my mother while she was down! You killed my father while his back was turned! Why don't you face me?" I yelled.

Silence followed. I kept running though, until I came to a cleared area where everything was completely silent… until I heard a growl. I turned slowly until I came face to face with Fenrir Greyback, the same werewolf who had bit Lupin when he was young.

"Hello, Ugly," I smiled.

He growled again and charged at me, forgetting his wand.

"_Stupefy_!" Two Stunners hit the werewolf, and sent him flying backwards and into the weeds. I spun to see Harry running toward me, grabbing my arm and pulling me with him. Spells started flashing out at us, and we stood back to back in the center of the clearing, our wands up to block the spells.

"Harry!" I heard Mr. Weasley yell. Before long Remus and Mr. Weasley both appeared and stood beside us ready for the oncoming spells… but none came.

"They're going for the house," I whispered to them. All three of them looked down at me in surprise before I could hear Bellatrix and Greyback wisp away. "Go! Apparate! Now!" I yelled at them.

The world suddenly spun, rolled over, flopped and was twisted as my body was forced into a small tube before it was forced out again. I felt my stomach heave and I only bent over in time before the contents of my stomach were emptied on the ground in front of me. I could hear a fight near me and whooshing but I wasn't bothered by it, since people were surrounding me.

Finally, once the need to vomit left me, I looked up to find the top two floors of the Burrow on fire, which Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were tending to while Lupin was eyeing the sky carefully. Apparently it was over, and we were all safe for now.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: We all know you'd be puking in the middle of all the action too. : )<strong>


	13. Love Potion

"It's so easy for them to get to you," Hermione exclaimed as she stared down at the Daily Prophet which was talking about more disappearances, having heard about our little encounter with Bellatrix. "You're bloody lucky you weren't killed. You have to realize who you are, Harry,"

"I know who I am, Hermione, all right?" Harry exclaimed before looking over at Hermione with a sheepish look. "Sorry,"

Harry, Hermione and I turned the corner to find Lavender putting a necklace around Ron's neck. "Lav, come on. Of course I'll wear it,"

"That's my Won-Won," Lavender squealed as she attacked him with a hug from behind.

"Excuse me, I have to go an vomit," Hermione told Harry and I before she turned back around and headed down the corridor the way we had come.

* * *

><p>It had been a month since Christmas break, and classes were going as usual, unusually hard and a little boring. I had tried to talk to Draco as well, but he had been avoiding me at every turn. The truth be told? He looked horrible, his face was grey and sunken in, which was a horrible contrast to his white blonde hair.<p>

But tonight, I decided to go to bed early, having had a long day of classes, when a soft knock woke me. I looked toward the door, not moving my head from the pillow, and waited a moment before another soft knock came and I heard a muffled voice calling my name. No matter how muffled his voice got, I could always tell if it was Harry's.

I groaned and got out of bed and stumbled to the door, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I grabbed the handle of the door and opened it to find Harry, fully clothed in front of me.

"What?" I asked, annoyed at him interrupting my beauty sleep.

But Harry didn't answer me. I looked up at him to find him staring down at me, a bit wide eyed. I took a quick glance down at myself to see what he saw. I was in a large Weird Sisters t-shirt and underwear, revealing my long legs and a lot of cleavage.

"What do you want, Harry?" I asked again, not awake enough to care that he was staring at my half naked body.

"Umm… I need your help," he began, shaking himself to get his attention back. "Ron ate some chocolates with some love potion in them so I tried to get him to follow me so that I can get him the antidote, but he won't leave the common room unless he sees Romilda," Harry explained.

"Romilda Vane?" I asked confused.

"The love potion was meant for me," Harry added with a shrug.

That woke me up. "What?" I exclaimed.

"Shhh," he hissed. "I just need you to change into Romilda and help me lead Ron to Slughorn's office so we can get him the antidote,"

I glared at him for a long moment before I nodded and shut the door to change into something that wouldn't be considered inappropriate. I changed into a blue t-shirt and jeans, pulling on some socks and shoes before I moved to the bathroom and looked into the mirror, morphing myself into Romilda Vane. I grew taller, and my hair frizzed our into a girly afro. That down, I walked back into the dorm and to the door, opening it to find Harry still standing there, leaning against the door frame.

"Ready?" I asked, using Romilda's voice.

Harry jumped in surprise and stared at me for a long moment before he nodded and walked down stairs, leaving me to follow him. I walked down the stairs and walked into the common room to find Ron sitting on the couch, facing the fireplace.

"Ron," Harry grabbed Ron's shoulder to get his attention, making Ron sway as Harry pushed him. Ron slowly turned to look up at Harry with a dreamy look that worried me, before Harry spoke again. "You said you wanted to meet Romilda Vane?"

"I'm in love with her," Ron said with a ditzy nod of his head.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm here," I spoke, letting a smile grace my face.

Ron looked up in surprise before jumping up and throwing himself over the back of the couch, nearly knocking Harry over as he made his way over to me. I put my arms up to protect myself in time so that when Ron slammed into me, his lips landed on my forearm, instead of on my lips.

"Ron! Ron, stop!" I yelled, making sure to use Romilda's voice.

The pressure of Ron's body against mine disappeared, and I carefully put my arms down to see Ron smiling brightly at me, as if in awe.

"You're so beautiful, my darling," he breathed, getting down on his knees taking my hands in his as he looked up at me dreamily. "You are brighter than the moon and more delicious than a fruit tart,"

At least I knew Ron was still in there somewhere. Ron was probably one of the only guys who would compare a girl to food.

"Thank you," I purred with Romilda's voice before I let a sad frustrated look cross my face which sent Ron jumping up in alarm.

"What is it, luv?" he asked gripping my shoudlers.

"It's just… Oh I shouldn't ask you," I sighed.

"Tell me and I'll kill it!" Ron exclaimed.

"I need someone to accompany me down those dark corridors," I sighed.

"I'll do it! I'll protect you!" Ron exclaimed, whipping me up into his arms and running to the portrait hole with me like that.

"Ron! Put me down!" I exclaimed as I heard Harry laughing his head off behind us.

"I wouldn't want you to possibly trip on the way! I love you to much to let you get hurt! I'll carry you!" Ron exclaimed.

"Ron, if you don't put me down I will cry!" I whined, letting my bottom lip pucker out a bit.

Ron gently put me down and hugged me close to his chest, making me feel like I might break or suffocate. "Don't cry, my love!" he told me.

"All right, Ron!" I pushed him off before taking his hand in mine and pulling him along, heading toward Slughorn's office, Harry on our tail.

The whole way there Ron kept telling me how much he loved me and how he would always make me happy no matter what. It almost made me want to puke by how obsessively sweet it all was. I don't know why any girl would want to give a guy a love potion, it just made them act stupid, though I was slightly curious about how Harry would have acted if he had been the one to eat the chocolates.

When we finally reached Slughorn's office, Harry got Ron's attention while I shifted back to myself since I presumed that it would be best if I was myself instead of Romilda since this story might accidentally get back to her. When Ron turned back to find me standing there, his face was a mixture of utter confusion, and complete misery.

"Where's Romilda? Where did my lovely Mildie go?" Ron cried.

"Your turn, Harry," I told him as I grabbed onto Ron before he could run off and go searching for Romilda.

Harry quickly went up to the door and knocked loudly, and only a second later did Slughorn's face appear in the little peep whole in the door, looking at Harry with confusion and then a bit of fear.

"I'm sorry, sir. I wouldn't bother you if it weren't absolutely essential," Harry told Slughorn quickly.

"Where's Romilda?" Ron asked me sadly, looking like he was about to cry.

"What's the matter with Wenby?" Slughorn asked Harry, who leaned in towards the door.

"Very powerful love potion," Harry told him, though Ron was to preoccupied with trying to get me to tell him where Romilda was to notice what anyone was saying.

"Very well. Better bring him in," Slughorn told him as he opened the door, allowing the three of us in. "I'd have thought one of you could whip up a remedy for this in no time," Slughorn told Harry and I as I pushed Ron along, following Slughorn to a large trunk which held a large amount of potion ingredients.

"Well, we thought this called for a more practiced hand, sir," Harry answered as Ron glided toward Slughorn on his own, wrapping his arms around him and smiling up at him dreamily.

"Hello daring. Fancy a drink?" Ron giggled.

"Perhaps you're right," Slughorn nodded to Harry as I pulled Ron off of him and pushed him toward the couch until he sat down.

"I'm sorry, by the way, professor," I could hear Harry saying. "About our misunderstanding earlier today,"

"Oh, not at all. All water under the bridge, you know? Correct?"

"I expect you're tired of it after all these years," Harry commented. "All the questions about Voldemort-"

"Don't use that name!" Slughorn shouted, making me jump in surprise.

Right then, Ron stood up and I pushed him back down with a slight shove, making Ron glare up at me like a little kid before he grabbed my hand and yanked me down until I fell into his lap. I let out a yelp of surprise and tried to get up again, but now Ron was holding me like some sort of rag doll, rocking me a bit. Finally, however, he was forced to let me go when Harry came back over and pulled me out of Ron's arms.

"There you are, old boy. Bottoms up," Slughorn smiled as he handed Ron a goblet with a red liquid in it, taking up Ron's attention for the moment.

"What's this?" Ron asked.

"Tonic for the nerves,"

Ron just smiled brightly and took a big swig of it before the smile on his face faded until he was frowning, as if he had just received bad news. He looked from Slughorn to me to Harry, looking confused. "What happened to me?"

"Love potion," I told him, happy he was back to normal.

"And a bloody strong one at that," Slughorn chuckled as he took the goblet back from Ron.

"I feel… really bad," Ron moaned, looking like someone had offered him a free smorgasbord and then taken it away from him.

"You need a pick-me-up, my boy," Slughorn told him as he went back to his trunk and pulled out a wrapped bottle. "Got Butterbeer, wine, dazzling oak-matured mead. I had other intentions for this, but I think, given the circumstances…" he trailed off as the cork on the bottle popped off and he poured the golden ale into four glasses before walking over to us and handing us each one. "Here we are… To life1!"

Harry and Slughorn tinked their glasses together while I stared down into the glass. I only looked up when I say Ron drop, his glass shattering loudly. I looked up to find him sprawled our on the floor, foam coming out of his mouth as he flopped about on the ground. I put down my glass on the nearest surface and dropped down beside him, rolling him on his side carefully and holding him there.

"Harry! I think he's been poisoned!"

Harry immediately jumped into action as I tried to wrack my brain for anything that would be helpful at this moment. Suddenly, Ron stopped moving all together, his eyelids sliding down over his white eyes. I rolled him back onto his back and put my finger's to his throat and tried to find a pulse as Harry dropped back down beside me and shoved something into Ron's mouth.

"Come on, Ron, breath," Harry muttered to him.

Nothing happened. A tear slid down my cheek as I watched Ron, still unmoving. Was he gone?

Then finally, a strangled breath came from Ron before he started coughing, making me breath a sigh of relief as he sat up, looking around at us all. "These girls, they're gonna kill me," I laughed at his comment before I kissed him on the cheek before he collapsed back on the ground with a sigh.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: After nearly dieing, and he says; "These girls, they're gonna kill me," That's what anyone would say! (Heavy Sarcasm)<strong>

**Review!**


	14. Love's Keen Sting

Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and I were all sitting and standing around Ron's bed as he slept restlessly when Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape and Slughorn walked into the room.

"Quick thinking you your part, Harry, using a bezoar," Dumbledore commented. "You must be very proud of your student, Horace,"

"Hm? Oh, yes. Very proud," Slughorn murmured.

"I think we agree, Potter's actions were heroic," said McGonagall. "The question is, why were they necessary?"

"Why, indeed?" Dumbledore moved to Slughorn's side and took the bottle he was hold from him, the same bottle that he had poured the drink out of that Ro had drank before he had collapsed. "This appears to be a gift, Horace," Dumbledore commented. "You Don't remember who gave you this bottle?"

Slughorn shook his head as Dumbledore sniffed the opened bottle.

"Which, by the way, possesses remarkably subtle hints of licorice and cherry… when not polluted with poison,"

"Actually I had intended to give it as a gift myself," Slughorn said quietly as Snape took the bottle from Dumbledore.

"To whom, I might ask?" Dumbledore asked.

"To you, Headmaster," Slughorn admitted ashamedly.

"Where is he? Where's my Won-Won?" A shrill familiar voice sounded as Lavender ran into the room, pushing past the professor's until she stood near the end of Ron's bed. looking down at him looking upset. "Has he been asking for me?"

Then Lavender caught sight of Hermione sitting at Ron's beside.

"What's she doing here?" she demanded.

"I might ask you the same question," Hermione bit out as she stood.

"I happened to be his girlfriend!" Lavender exclaimed.

"I happen to be his… friend," Hermione said, but it lost all of it's strength when she hesitated.

Lavender scoffed. "Don't make me laugh. You haven't spoke in weeks. I suppose you wan tot make up with him now that he's all interesting,"

"He's been poisoned, you daft dimbo!" Hermione exclaimed. " And for the record, I've always found him interesting,"

Right then Ron stirred again and began to mutter to himself quietly.

"Ah. See?" Lavender smiled, moving over to Ron's side. "He senses my presence. Don't worry, Won-Won. I'm here. I'm here,"

I looked over at Harry who was smiling at me and rolled my eyes. Was she serious? Was she such an idiot to think that just because she was there he was going to jump up and start singing, "Let Me Be Your Wings".

Ron continued to mumble to himself and we all listened closely.

"Un hum nu… Uh… He… mione… Hermione…" I smiled, trying desperately to keep the smile off my face, but not even the best of acting powers could have kept that smile from my face. "… Hermione…"

Lavender spun and ran sobbing out of the room, nearly knocking me into Harry as she ran.

"Oh, to be young, and to feel love's keen sting," Dumbledore smiled. "Well, come away, everyone. Mr. Weasley is well tended,"

Everyone moved to leave except Harry and I, letting people pass us as we watched Hermione take Ron's hand in hers, watching him with a concerned look on her face, but a happy smile. As Ginny past she stopped next to us and looked back at Hermione and her brother.

"About time, don't you think?" Ginny chuckled.

"Do you even have to ask?" I asked with a smile, looking over at Hermione as she looked up at the three of us watching her.

"Oh, shut up," she muttered before turning back to Ron with a grin.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Sorry it was so short. It just means you can move to the next chapter faster and move on to the more interesting chapters sooner. Yeah you!<strong>


	15. Sectemsempra

**Author's Note: WARNING: A lot of stuff happens in this one. Be ready to have your mind not blown!**

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><p>A week later, on a Saturday, Ron was released from the hospital wing, and allowed to return to his classes. Though he let out a groan at the thought of classes. We immediately went to breakfast, Harry sitting by me, Hermione sitting by Ron, and sort of just did the usual, read, ate, chatted.<p>

Harry was reading his marked in advanced potions book again, and I was carefully reading it as fast as I could over his shoulder, so that when he turned to page, I didn't miss anything. The impressive thing on the current page he was on, was a spell I had never heard of before that I remembered Harry mentioning before called Sectemsempra, which had a note beside it saying for enemies, and then under it; Vulnera Sanentur.

I was totally engrossed in the book, thinking about the two spells until snow started falling around me for no reason.

"Stop it, Ron," Hermione whispered to Ron. "You're making it snow,"

"Tell me how I broke up with Lavender again," Ron asked, making Harry and I look up at an uncomfortable looking Hermione.

"Um, well…" Hermione began. "… she came to visit you in the hospital. And you talked. I don't believe it was a particularly long conversation,"

"Don't get me wrong, I'll blood thrilled to be shot of her. It's just… she seems a bit put out," Ron commented.

The four of us looked back at the table closest to the wall to find Lavender glaring at run and Hermione, stabbing her spoon into the table as she glared. I sort of felt bad for the table, myself. "Yes, she does, doesn't she?" I smiled.

"You say you don't remember anything from that night?" Hermione asked, sounding hopeful. "Anything at all?"

I started humming the song 'Lucky' to myself which earned me Hermione smashing her heel into my foot, making me yelp and jump, interrupting Ron's deep thinking as he tried to remember.

"There is something," he told her as I waved off the boys' concerned looks and returned Hermione's glare. "But it can't be," Ron finally said after a moment. "I was completely boggler, wasn't I?" Ron chuckled.

Hermione's face fell. "Right. Boggled,"

I groaned quietly and grabbed Harry's arm, using his shoulder to gently hit my head against over and over. Why were they doing this to each other?

"Harry," Hermione suddenly whispered, making me stop what I was doing, looking up at Hermione and letting go of Harry. Hermione gestured with her head down the table and whispered, "That's Katie. Katie Bell,"

I looked up to see her talking with her friends down the table. Harry immediately stood, scooping up his textbook and walking down the tables toward her, no doubt to talk to her about her being cursed instead of asking her how she was doing.

I sighed and stayed where I was, closing my book and looking back towards the entrance to the Great Hall and debating about going to the common room. It was then I spotted Malfoy, his eyes full of fear as he stared behind me, before he took off out of the Hall.

"I'll be right back, guys," I told Ron and Hermione without looking at them, standing up and racing out of the Great Hall and following Malfoy.

I followed him all the way to the nearest boys bathroom, which was deserted as far as I could tell. I stopped outside the bathroom door, and when I heard nothing, I opened the door quietly and stepped inside.

From where I stood, just inside the bathroom door, which was now closed behind me, I could see Draco standing with his back to me, his hands clutching the sinks on either side of him, his head bowed as he shook, sobbing. It was then that I saw tears streaming down his pale face and falling into the sink. I slowly approached him, hoping that when he did notice me there he didn't do anything stupid.

"I know it was you, Draco. You have to let me help you…" I spoke gently, deciding to let him know I was here. I watched as his whole body went rigid for a moment, as he took in the fact that I was there, before his body shook again.

"No one can help me," he sobbed. "I can't do it. I can't! It won't work unless I do it soon… he'll kill me,"

I stopped moving as a shiver went down my back as I contemplated what he was saying might mean.

"Draco, I can help you. Whatever this is, you can tell me. We can stop this together. Let me help you," I pleaded.

"No! I have to do this!" Draco cried, his body shaking again.

"I won't let this happen again, Draco," I told him. "You have to-"

Draco raised his head and wheeled around, drawing his wand, and sent me flying backwards and into the door. The surprise almost hit me as hard as the door did, but in my new position, farther back from where I had been, I realized what Draco had actually been aiming for.

We weren't alone.

Spells flew back and forth between Harry and Draco, as they dueled. I watched them from my place against the door as they ducked behind the bathroom stalls and tried to hit each other like two idiots. What bloody annoyed me the most though, was that I was helpless to do anything about it since I had left my wand in my book bag in my room. Now all I could do was yell at them.

"Stop it!" I yelled, hoping some urgency in my voice would convince them to lower their wand. "Stop it before someone gets hurt! Stop!"

Draco appeared around the corner of the stalls and aimed farther down the line of stalls to where I couldn't see, presumably at Harry.

"_Sectumsempra_!"

I gasped as Draco flew back a couple feet and hit the floor with a splash, blood spurting from his chest as though someone had slashed him repeatedly. I could hear him whimpering in pain as I crawled the few feet toward him, his whimpers now filled with both emotional and physical pain. I looked down at Draco in horror as he bled incessantly across the floor, his blood mixing with the water around us, the bleeding showing no signs of stopping.

"Harry! Harry, _do something_!" I pleaded, recognizing that Draco might very well bleed out. I felt my own heart race as Draco began shaking uncontrollably in a pool of his own blood. "_Harry_!" I shouted with urgency, realizing that he hadn't moved at all, his face still frozen as it was when he first saw Draco fall.

Suddenly, the door banged open behind me and Professor Snape burst into the room, a livid expression on his pale face as he looked down at Draco and then back up at Harry. He immediately knelt on Draco's other side, tracing over the slashes with his wand and muttering the incantation from Harry's book, sounding almost like a song.

"_Vulnera Sanentur_… _Vulnera Sanentur_…"

I watched in awe as Draco's wounds seemed to heal, or at least the flow of blood slowed to a near stop.

"Go, Miss Sherwood. Now. Speak of this to no one," Snape told me.

I nodded, and stood on shaky legs and followed Harry as he ran out of the room and all the way back up to Gryffindor Tower.

By the time we got to the common room, it was empty except for Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, who knew right off what had happened by how horrible Harry and I looked. Thankfully, the room remained silent and I stood near the portrait hole, trying to keep myself calm as I watched Harry. He paced around the room a couple of times before he threw the book down on the coffee table and sank down on to the couch. His breathing was ragged as he ran a shaky hand through his hair, staring out into nothing. I could tell he was shaking, looking a little like how I had found Draco not ten minutes ago.

Slowly, I walked toward Harry until I knelt down in front of him, and looked into his eyes, though I knew he didn't see me. I gently placed a hand on the side of his face, and brushed my thumb over his cheek, comforting him, and getting his attention.

"Harry?" I asked quietly. "Are you alright?"

I didn't get an answer right away, but he slowly nodded.

"We have to get rid of it," I told him softly. "We have to hide it. Today," He gave me a jerky nod, and I nodded back before standing, taking his hand in mine to pull him up.

"Come on,"

I looked up at the others, who all nodded to me. Gently, I pulled Harry along, him having picked up the book, taking him through the portrait hole, down the halls, and through the corridors until we reached our destination.

I needed a place to hide this book.

I pushed through the door, pulling Harry through with me and smiled as I looked up at the massive piles of random things that had been left in here for who knows how long.

"The Room of Requirement," Harry said, no longer in shock, making me smile over at him.

"We need to hide the Half-Blood Prince's book, where no one will ever find it, not even you," I told him before moving through the room, leaving him to follow me.

The sound of fluttering drew Harry and I to a strangely familiar looking cupboard near the end of one of the aisles of piles. I watched as Harry approached it carefully before opening the door, releasing a bird.

I chuckled. "See? You never know what you'll find in here," I told him as he turned back to me, watching me.

Slowly, I approached him, and held my hand up in front of me, wanting him to willingly give it to me, instead of me taking it. Slowly, though I kept my eyes on his, I could see the hand holding the book raise until I could feel the book in my hand, before I pulled it to me until I held it at my side.

"Alright, close your eyes, that way you can't be tempted," I told him. "Just like in hide and seek, only this time there won't be any seeking," I smiled, causing him to let out a broken chuckle. "Close your eyes," I whispered.

Once he had done that I moved off to find a place to hide the book.

I didn't take me long though. I spotted a book shelf with a bust of an old man on top, with a tiara sitting on his head. Carefully, I stuck the book beneath the bust before walking back to where I had left Harry.

I found him right where I had left him, his eyes still closed, standing on his own. He looked so vulnerable, standing there like that, and as I approached him, I didn't stop until I was close to him, too close for a friend to be. And somehow I couldn't stop myself, I just wanted to know how it felt. I leaned forward and kissed him gently, a shy kiss that, to my surprise, was answered back immediately with a kiss of his own.

As I pulled back, all I could manage to say was; "That can stay hidden up here too, if you like," My face was bright red, and I knew my hair was bright pink in color, showing, that from head to toe, I was embarrassed. I mean, my mind was reeling, trying to make some sense, and maybe understand how and why this happened. But then again, I had been wanting for nearly the past two years.

Not to mention, Harry was smiling, eyes still closed.

So I turned carefully, and moved down a ways, down the aisle before turning back to find Harry with his eyes open, watching me happily.

"Come one, boy wonder. We have things to do and people to see,"

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><p><strong>*Third Person*<strong>

"The Room of Requirement," Harry said, as he looked around the room, only now truly realizing where he was.

"We need to hide the Half-Blood Prince's book, where no one will ever find it, not even you," Rebecca told him, walking off ahead of him. Harry watched her as she moved gracefully, skipping sideways as she past between a pile of chairs and a table, so she could get past them without knocking anything over. Harry actually found it quite cute.

The sound of fluttering drew Rebecca and Harry to a strangely familiar looking cupboard near the end of one of the aisles of piles. Harry approached it carefully before opening the doors, ducking as a bird flew out from inside.

Rebecca's light chuckle sounded behind him before he turned to watch her, as she smiled at him. "See? You never know what you'll find in here,"

Slowly, Rebecca approached him, and held out her hand, silently asking for the book he still clutched in his hand. Slowly, his green eyes on her morphed golden ones, he slowly handed the book to her, placing it in her hand before she took it from him completely.

"Alright, close your eyes, that way you can't be tempted," Rebecca told him with a slight smile. "Just like in hide and seek, only this time there won't be any seeking," Rebecca told him, causing Harry to let out a broken chuckle. "Close your eyes," Rebecca finally whispered.

Harry felt stupid closing his eyes. First of all, he felt like a five-year-old waiting for a surprise. Second, it made him feel uncomfortable and vulnerable, like anyone could come up behind him and knock him senseless, and he'd be none the wiser. But Harry did close his eyes, because he trusted Rebecca.

After a minute of waiting, Harry could hear Rebecca making her way back towards him, except what happened next made his stomach do flips and his blood catch fire. He could hear Rebecca walk up to him until she was directly in front of him, and he could practically feel her body heat against him. Then, as soft as anything, he felt her lips against his, causing him to immediately react, but all to soon, she pulled away.

Harry kept his eyes shut, trying to savor that small moment that they just had, trying to make some sense, and maybe understand how and why this happened. But he didn't care, Rebecca had just kissed him! Something he had been wanting for nearly the past year!

"That can stay hidden up here too, if you like," he heard her whisper.

That was the exact opposite he wanted, he wanted moments like this all the time, where Rebecca would kiss him, or he could just walk up and kiss her. It was perfectly alright with him.

Slowly, Harry opened his eyes to spot her walking down the aisle they were in before she stopped and turned back to him, smiling brightly, making his heart skip about a little. Harry could tell, even from a distance that her face was bright red, and could see the brilliant shade of pink her hair had turned since he had had his eyes open last.

Harry couldn't help but smile at her.

"Come one, boy wonder. We have things to do and people to see," Rebecca called to him nonchalantly as he hair faded into it's typical dark brown once again.

Harry nodded slowly and walked after her, catching up to her to put his hand in hers again, feeling a good fluttery feeling waft through his stomach as she smiled at him.

They exited the Room of Requirement in a strange sort of silence before the two of them looked at each other.

"So…" They both began at the same time.

"I liked that," Rebecca admitted slowly.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, grinning.

It took Rebecca a long moment before she could gathered up her courage to go next. "We like each other, more than friends should," Rebecca stated in a rush, not making it a question.

"Agreed," Harry nodded.

"Good. We're on the same page," Rebecca chuckled nervously, her hair turning back to a pale pink as her embarrassment grew. With her hand still in Harry's, Rebecca started walking through the nearly empty halls.

"How long?" Harry asked, curiously.

"The truth?" Rebecca asked, looking over at him. "Probably since… the beginning of fifth year, after you helped me when my mum died,"

"Really?" Harry asked, surprised. "I was horrible that whole year, not to mention Umbridge being around,"

Rebecca shrugged. "You were my rock that year, you pulled through for me like no one else had," she told him. "How long for you?"

"Not quite as long," Harry admitted.

"Since Christmas?"

"No, actually. Since Dumbledore and I arrived at Grimmauld," Harry admitted to her with a smirk.

"You lie," Rebecca chuckled, giving him a slight shove.

"It's true," Harry smiled.

"Alright," Rebecca suddenly, said looking very serious. "I have a very important question that I need to ask; Are we going back to friends after this? And if we aren't, can we _not_ be like Ron and Hermione and then just skip over the weird awkward part?" she asked.

"I don't think we're going back to friends," Harry told her, happy that they weren't going to be just friends anymore, and happy that she had asked the question aloud. "And as far as _not_ acting like Ron and Hermione? I think we can manage that,"

Rebecca chuckled. "Good,"

Harry and Rebecca now walked through the hall in a daze. Harry was now Rebecca's boyfriend, and she was his girlfriend. It was almost weird to say, but he liked the feeling nonetheless. Not to mention the way he felt when she kissed him.

"So did you two do it then?"

Both Harry and Rebecca and stared wide eyed as Ron walked up beside the two of them. "What?"

"You know, did you hide the book?" Ron clarified.

"Yeah," Rebecca smiled, rolling her eyes at Ron's previously awkwardly worded question.

Suddenly, Slughorn rounded the corner to look up at the three teens, coming to a sudden stop before he started muttering to himself about forgetting something and walked off in the opposite direction.

"Still no luck with Slughorn then I take it?" Ron murmured.

Harry nodded before he stopped as something clicked inside his head. "Luck. That's it. All I need's a bit of luck,"

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><p><strong>Author's Note: I'll try to get the rest of the story up ASAP. I promise!<strong>


	16. Felix Felicis

**Author's Note: Sorry, I'm writing this as fast as i can, not to mention the end of this movie/book/fanfic is really sad and i started crying right along with Harry. Anyway, here you go for this chapter. **

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><p><strong>*First Person*<strong>

Harry, Ron, Hermione and I all sat in a circle in the common room, which was currently empty. Harry held his full vial of Felix Felicis in his hand before uncorking it and downing nearly the whole thing. After a moment Harry looked down at Ron, Hermione and I with a strange and happy smile on his face.

"Well? How do you feel?" Hermione asked.

"Excellent. Really excellent," Harry chuckled as he stood, us standing with him, watching him carefully.

"Remember," Hermione began, getting Harry's attention. "Slughorn usually eats early, takes a walk, and then returns to his office," she told him slowly.

"Right," Harry nodded. "I'm going down to Hagrid's,"

Harry began to move towards the portrait hole leaving the three of us in shock. "What?" Hermione muttered before chasing after him. "No! Harry, you have to go speak to Slughorn," Harry stopped and looked back at her with a confused and dazed look on his face. "We have a plan," she reminded him.

"I know, but- I have a really good feeling about Hagrid's. I feel like it's the place to be tonight. You know what I mean?" Harry asked.

"No," Ron and Hermione said in unison.

"Well trust me, I know what I'm doing. Or Felix does," Harry told us.

"He's right," I nodded. "When my stepfather tried to make Felix Felicis and failed, he drank it thinking he had it right," I told them.

"What happened?" Ron asked.

"Well, since he drank the Felix Felicis, it gave him bad luck, and he ended up giving his boss a box of chocolates,"

"What's so bad about that?" Ron asked.

"The chocolates my stepfather gave him had caramel in them and his boss was allergic," I shrugged. "The point is, Felix tells you what to do even if you don't understand it,"

"Exactly," Harry smiled.

Suddenly, Harry pulled me forward and kissed me right on the mouth. At first I was frozen in surprise before I melted and kissed him back. I could hear the silence, also known as frozen surprise in the background as Ron and Hermione stared.

Slowly Harry pulled back smiling down at me before he stepped back and looked back at Ron and Hermione.

"By the way, I'm dating Rebecca now," Harry smiled before walking off. "Hi!"

The two turned to stare at me, not even noticing the other people who walked into the room who passed between us.

"So…" I started, but I was interrupted.

"About time!"

"You too are so cute together,"

Thank you, Felix.

It had been a few days after Harry had retrieved the memory from Slughorn successfully that Dumbledore summoned Harry to his office. Apparently it was top secret since Harry didn't tell any of us much except some vague comments and showing us the note that I stole from him.

Harry,

Come to my office after classes. I have found another and must ask your help.

A. Dumbledore

Not twenty minutes later, Harry came down into the nearly empty common room and told us to follow him as he disappeared through the portrait hole and through the halls.

"What does Dumbledore want?" I asked, carefully as I walked beside Harry.

Harry quickly told us the gist of it all, he told us how Dumbledore and him had found out about Voldemort's horcruxs, he told us that now Dumbledore though he had found another, and he told us that he was going with Dumbledore to try to get it, and how we can't come along.

"Hermione, is the Room of Requirement unchartable?" Harry suddenly asked as we walked.

"If one wants it to be. Why?"

"Well that would explain why that would explain why I thought Malfoy was leaving the castle, when he disappeared off the map. He was just going to the Room of Requirement," Harry told us.

"You've been watching him?" I asked.

"Yes. Ever since what happened to Katie Bell," Harry told me.

"What would he be doing in the Room of Requirement?" Ron asked.

"There's a vanishing cabinet in there," I told them.

"How did you-?" Harry began.

"I've been watching Malfoy too. That's why I helped him at the Slugclub Christmas party," I explained. "I remember when I first found him in the Room of Requirement, he was acting jittery, and I think he was coming away from the cabinet," I told them.

"But I got an owl from Dad this morning. The one at Borgin and Burkes is still there," Ron put in, saving me from Harry's questioning look.

"No, I'm telling you I saw it," I said again. "Remember, Harry, when we were in there. You opened it yourself,"

Harry nodded in agreement as we all came to a stop outside of Dumbledore's office, standing in front of the griffin statue. "Look, I know Malfoy's up to something, and no matte what it is, Dumbledore won't be here, so Malfoy's going to have another clear shot at whatever he's trying to get at. So here-" Harry shoved the Marauder's Map into Hermione's hands. "You've got to watch him and you've got to watch Snape, too. Use anyone you can rustle up from the DA. Dumbledore says he's used extra protection for the school, but Snape's got to know how to avoid it-"

"Harry-" I began but he interrupted me.

"Take this," he said, shoving the small vial of what was left of the Felix Felicis into my hand. "You might need it,"

"Harry, you don't know that something bad is going to happen," I exclaimed, though I could feel that familiar feeling that you get before a wave crashes down on you, sweeping you beneath and pulling you out to sea. You didn't hear or see the wave coming, but you felt it none the less.

"Humor me," Harry said quickly.

"What about you?" I asked, holding up the vial.

"I don't need luck. I'll be with Dumbledore," he said with a shrug.

Harry looked at all of us in turn before he turned and started to walk to the griffin statue.

"Harry!" I called, running to him.

He barely turned in time before I slammed into him, wrapping my arms around his neck and burying my face into the crook of his neck as his arms wrapped around my waist. I pulled back slowly before I leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the mouth.

"That was for luck, boy wonder,"

"It worked. I feel luckier already," Harry smiled.

Then he turned and was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>*Third Person*<strong>

"… ever considered that you ask to much, that you take too much for granted? Has it ever crossed your brilliant mind that I don't want to do this anymore?" Snape asked Dumbledore as they stood at the top of the Astronomy Tower.

"Whether it has or it hasn't is irrelevant," Dumbledore sighed, looking across the landscape before him. "I will not negotiate with you Severus. You agreed. There is nothing more discussion,"

With that, Snape spun around and began to walk down the spiral staircase where he came face to face with Potter, the last living piece of Lily Evans left, unfortunately it was surrounded by what was left of James Potter. Snape glared at the boy before continuing on to his office.

Harry watched Snape go with a glare before climbing the rest of the way to the top of the Astronomy Tower where he found Dumbledore looking out at the scenery before turning to look at him. "Oh Harry," Dumbledore smiled. "You need a shave, my friend. You know, at times, I forget how much you've grown. At times, I still see the small boy from the cupboard," Dumbledore commented. "Forgive my mawkishness, Harry. I'm a old man,"

"You still look the same to me, sir," Harry told him.

"Just like your mother, you're unfailing kind. Similar to a certain young girl we have both come to know well," Dumbledore chuckled before his face turned grave and he turned to the matter at hand. "The place to which we journey tonight is extremely dangerous," Dumbledore told him. "I promised you could accompany me, and I stand by that promise. But, there is one condition: You must obey every command I give you, without question,"

"Yes, sir," Harry said quickly.

"You do understand what I'm saying?" Dumbledore asked. "Should I tell you to hide, you hide. Should I tell you to run, you run. Should I tell you to abandon me and save yourself, you must do so,"

Harry didn't say anything as he thought this over in his head for a long moment.

"Your word, Harry," Dumbledore insisted.

"… My word," Harry finally said.

"Take my arm," Dumbledore said, raising it.

"Sir, I thought you couldn't Apparate within Hogwarts," Harry commented as the thought popped into his mind.

"Well, being me has it's privileges," Dumbledore smiled.

Harry chuckled before looking down at Dumbledore's arm. He didn't much like Apparating, and he could help but remember when Rebecca had first Apparated with him and Dumbledore, she had nearly vomited.

But nonetheless, Harry took Dumbledore's arm, and the two Apparated away, the loud popping sound they left behind reverberating through the halls.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: And so it begins. <strong>

**Review!**


	17. Lucky To Be Alive

***First Person***

As an abnormal and blood curdling darkness settled over the school, I knew that something disastrous was indeed on the horizon, and there was no doubt that Draco was behind it. Ron, Hermione and I looked to each other.

"What do we do now?" Hermione asked, looking frightened.

"We do what Harry said; We watch Snape and Malfoy," I told them, my voice surprisingly calm. "I know something bad is going to happen. And when it does, we fight," I took a sip of the Felix Felicis and handed it to Hermione. "Drink this- both of you," I told them. "Ron contact anyone in the DA and in the Order you can and let them know something's up. And Hermione, keep your eyes glued to the Marauder's map, no matter what. Do you understand me?"

They both nodded.

"And you?" Hermione asked.

"I'm going after Malfoy," I told them as I turned and ran out of the portrait hole and down to the Hospital wing, even ignoring McGonagall when she yelled at me to return to my house.

I skidded to a stop as I arrived at the Hospital wing, only to find that Draco's be was empty. But I knew where he would go next. So I ran as fast as I could until I stood outside the Room of Requirement.

I need a place to hide things.

The door appeared and I quickly, but quietly, made my way inside, walking carefully through the aisles and around piles of forgotten items. After a few moments, both Draco and the cabinet came into view, Draco standing before the cabinet, his hand on the knob, but not turning it.

"Draco- don't do this," I said softly, making him his back stiffen.

"I have to," he said, his head bowed as both his voice and body shook, he seemed genuinely frightened for his life. "I have no choice,"

He doesn't want to do it.

"Draco," I tried, saying his name a softly as I could as I reached a hand forward, though he couldn't see it. "In life you always have a choice, even when sometimes you think there isn't because it's easier to think that you don't," I told him. "You have a choice, Draco. You don't have to,"

"You don't understand!" Draco exclaimed slamming the handle down. I could only watch in horror as the lock on the cabinet slowly turned until a soft click sounded, signaling the beginning of bloodshed.

My wand was up and pointing straight at the lock, my hand gripping tightly as the doors swung open. As a billow of black smoke seeped from the opening, Draco began backing up until he was in front of me, as if to protect me.

"Go," he whispered.

I only stood there for a moment longer as I watch Bellatrix, my stepfather and other Death Eaters appear before I took off, running as fast as I could, slamming the door behind me as I took off down the hall.

"Death Eaters!" I screamed at the top of my voice before using Sonorus on my voice as I ran. "Death Eaters in the castle! Help! Death-"

Something slammed into my back and sent me flying down the corridor until I hit the stone wall at the end of the hall. I hit hard, everything turning white for a moment when my head slammed into the stone. My body froze before I collapsed, pain surrounding me as I fell into darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>*Third Person*<strong>

"Death Eater in the castle!" Rebecca was yelling as the Death Eater's exited the Room of Requirement.

"The little bitch!" Bellatrix hissed, raising her wand and aiming it at the girl, as to silence her. "_Avada_-"

But Draco was faster. "_Stupefy_!" Draco's spell hit Rebecca in the back and sent her flying down the hall and into a wall. When she collapsed in a heap, Draco could only wince and look away.

Rebecca was his cousin, and she seemed to be the only relative he knew of that had actually given a damn about him. Though he was pretty sure that it was only because she wanted to save the school, but for a moment, he could have sworn she cared about what he did.

"Well…" Bellatrix began, staring in shock that Draco had done something so bold, and had taken away her fun. But after a moment she just shrugged. "That shut her up!" Bellatrix laughed as she skipped down the hall until she stood over Rebecca. She held her wand over the girls face, pushing back the dark hair that had fallen in her face, to get a better look at her. "Maybe I should just kill the little brat now and save the trouble," Bellatrix smiled, straightening.

"No," Draco said as firmly as he could, drawing his aunt's gaze. "We don't have the time, and wouldn't you want to watch her suffer?" he asked.

Bellatrix thought about it for a moment before she brought her other leg over Rebecca's body, stepping away from her. "I guess," Bellatrix sighed before she gesture for her minions to follow her.

"Well if you don't I will!" Gregory Sherwood exclaimed, stepping forward, aiming his wand down at the unconscious girl.

"No!" Bellatrix shrieked. "She's mine," Gregory and Bellatrix stared each other down for a long moment before Gregory lowered his wand and nodded. "Good," Bellatrix smiled before the group moved off without Gregory of Draco.

Draco watched Gregory carefully, making sure nothing happened to her, though he didn't know why he cared so much.

Gregory glared down at the last living piece of his wife, someone that should have been his, but had never been, not even when she had agreed to marry him. He hated both of them, Ambrosia and Black, they had both ruined his life. And now, before his lay the last bit of them left in this world, and he couldn't touch it.

Gregory smiled darkly.

As quick as a flash, his foot slammed into Rebecca's stomach. She cried out and gasped, curling into a ball. She stayed unconscious however, because of the spell, much to Gregory's disappointment.

Draco however, was grateful. Rebecca was so damn lucky she was alive.

"Draco!" Bellatrix called back sweetly.

"Come on," Draco growled motioning for Gregory to follow as he led them to their destination. The Astronomy tower, where Dumbledore would meet his end.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Next chapter will be up soon! I swear, I'm writing it right now!<strong>

**Review!**


	18. Everything Is Ending

***First Person***

My eyes fluttered open and I was greeted back to Earth with tons of racket from what sounded like people fighting, and the most physical pain I had probably ever felt. My head ached from slamming into the wall, my body ached from hitting the wall and from traces of the spell that had been left behind, and my stomach in particular felt like a Hippogriff had kicked me.

If this what lucky was, I didn't want to know what being unlucky was.

I stumbled to my feet and started running as best as I could through the corridors, my feet pounded against the cold stone floor. As I came closer to the Great Hall, the screams, the crashes, the spells all came to a crescendo. It wasn't long before I could actually see the fights and watched as the stray curses flash past me.

The battle raged between the DA, the professors, and Death Eaters. I didn't even know where to start- I couldn't tell who was fighting whom. I ran though the halls, helping those I could as I past, trying to duck as spells flew past me. Suddenly, a Death Eater approached me and shot a green spell past me, and there aren't many that were green. My heart jumped as I slid to the side before shooting a Stunner at him, dropping him to the ground with a thud.

I started running again before I heard a loud growl, reminding me that there were not only Death Eaters here, but also Fenrir Greyback. I looked around, hoping to catch him, an image of him Harry though the halls before catching his throat between his teeth spurring me to find him quickly.

I continued to run until I was near the staircases where I found him biting and licking at another man who was passed out beneath him. I couldn't see who it was Greyback had attacked, but did it really matter?

"_Expelliarmus_!" I shouted.

Greyback only ended up skidding away from the an on the ground, like pushing a chess piece across the board. But my attention quickly tuned to the red-haired man who sagged to the ground, unconscious. It was Bill Weasley, Ron's older brother, he was to marry Fleur.

My eyes immediately turned back to Greyback, who was looking between Bill and I before his eyes settled on me, deciding I'd be more fun. He was watching me like a cat, waiting for it's prey to do something stupid… like run.

So I did.

I heard him bay, and the hair on the back of my neck standing on end as I ran with all speed away from him. I continued to run as fast as I could, hoping and praying to the gods that, one, he would follow me and not go off on another chase, and two, he wouldn't catch me. I ran through the crowd until I ran outside and into the courtyard, as I felt his breath on the back of my neck.

I collapsed to the ground, the weight of him coming down on my shoulder as I skidded on the ground beneath him face first until I came to a stop. A hand harshly grabbed my shoulder and yanked me up and over until I was on my back, staring wide eyed up at Greyback. He grinned down at me with a sharp toothed grin as his tongue flicked out of his mouth, licking at some blood on his lips.

"I love little girls as my prey," Greyback breath as his tongue flicked out again, licking some blood off my cheek. "I like to hear them scream as I kill them… scream for me," he smiled.

"Not tonight, mutt," I growled, aiming my wand up at him. "_Reducto_!"

Greyback went flying off of me, flying into the sky before his flight arched away from the school. I sat up, breathing hard before I stood as someone ran towards me.

"Rebecca!" I looked up to find Lupin running toward me.

"Lupin! Bill needs your help!" I yelled.

"Where is he? What happened?" Lupin asked as he skidded to a stop in front of me, breathing hard.

"He's near the stairs. I think Greyback might have bit him, I only got there in time to stop Greyback from killing him," I told him.

Lupin nodded. "Come on!"

The two of us ran together back into the fray before I got cut off from him, seeing a familiar group running through that halls and toward the exit.

"It's over!" I heard Snape shout, Malfoy close behind him.

"It's time to go!" I heard another familiar voice shout.

And then I saw Harry chasing after them. I couldn't let him do anything stupid, I couldn't let him go after all of them all by himself. So I chased after him, racing through the halls until I was outside again, the cold night air ripping at my lungs as I breathed hard.

Only when I heard yelling in the distance did I know that I was finally catching up to them. But when I saw the bright jets of light, I realized that Hagrid's hut was under attack. I watched as it burst into flames, lighting the night sky and illuminating the fleeing dark figures.

"Snape! He trusted you!" I could hear Harry yelling as I broke through the trees to watch him get thrown back by a spell.

"No! He belongs to the Dark Lord," Snape snapped at Bellatrix

"Harry!" I yelled. I raced forward until I stood between him and the Death Eaters who still hovered around Hagrid's hut, my wand raised. In the distance, a small dark figure illuminated by the flame's reflection fled from the grounds. His blonde hair gleaming in the firelight. "Draco! You traitor!" I yelled at him.

Suddenly a spell hit me at full force, knocking me backwards until I hit the ground at a bad angle, the shoulder of my wand arm making a horrible popping sound before pain spread from it like wild fire.

"Leave her! Go!" I could hear Snape yelling.

"Let's go!" I could hear Draco's voice say from far away.

"_Sectumsempra_!"

I looked up from my place on the ground as Harry fell backwards as a spell hit him. Snape slowly approached him, making no move to attack as he glared down at him carefully.

"You dare use my own spells against me, Potter?" There was a long moment of silence as we all processed his words. "Yes. I'm the Half-Blood Prince," With that, Snape swept away, disappearing into the forest with the rest of the Death Eaters, leaving Harry and I alone as my eyes slid closed.

"Rebecca? Rebecca!" Harry's voice called out to me. I opened my eyes again, looking over at where he too, lay on the ground. "Rebecca, are you alright?"

"No," I whimpered as I sat up, stumbling to my feet before making my way over to him, holding my arm hurt arm against my chest. Harry sat up slowly, wincing a bit before he reached forward, pulling me close to him and wrapping his arms around me, careful about my hurt arm.

"I'm so glad you're alive," Harry whispered into my hair.

"Same here, boy wonder," I whispered.

After who knows how long, we pulled away from each other, and Harry placed his hands on either side of my face, looking me over.

"Harry, what happened? What was their mission?" I asked quietly.

Harry's eyes immediately grew dim as he dropped them from my face and looked back up toward the school. "They killed Dumbledore," he whispered.

I gasped, tears forming in my eyes as I looked at him. "Was it…?" I could finish my sentence.

"No. It was Snape. It was always Snape," Harry growled, anger now burning in his eyes like it only rarely did. "Come on," he whispered, standing before helping me to my feet, careful of my arm.

I followed him back to the castle where we found nearly everyone was gathered in the entrance courtyard. Harry and I walked through the crowd, which parted for us until I could see what everyone was standing around.

On the ground was a body… Dumbledore's body. Dumbledore's eyes were closed, giving the illusion that he was sleeping, but I knew this was not so. The greatest wizard there had ever been, the wisest man I had ever had the pleasure of meeting, the nicest and most caring man I have ever known… gone. I was as if an immortal had died before me, it was unreal, like I was having a bad dream.

I watched as Harry continued walking past where I had stopped until he kneeled down beside Dumbledore. Harry reached out, straightening the half-moon spectacles upon Dumbledore's nose and wiped a trickle of blood away with his sleeve.

Tears were falling down my face as I slowly moved forward and knelt down beside Harry as his body shook. I watched as Harry reached forward and took the locket into his hand, gripping it as if it were the only thing that could mend what had happened. I reached forward carefully, placing a hand on Harry's back before he turned into me, crying against my chest. I held Harry as well as I could with my good arm, holding him and comforting him as he mourned.

I have no idea how long the two of us sat there, holding each other as Harry cried, but it didn't matter did it? Nothing could make this worse.

"Miss Sherwood dear… You and Mr. Potter must go to the hospital wing," I heard Professor McGonagall say near me as she placed her hand on my bad shoulder. I hissed and cringed away from her, which made Harry sit up straight and look at me, his eyes full of concern as tears continued to fall down his face.

"I'm fine," I told both of them, though I was looking at Harry.

"Rebecca," That was all Harry needed to say.

The two of us stood together, and walked hand in hand toward the Hospital Wing, which was no doubt full of people by now. Pushing open the doors, we saw Neville lying, apparently asleep, in a bed near the door and everyone else I knew gathered around a bed further down the wing. Hermione immediately came rushing to Harry and I, hugging us.

"Ow!" I choked as she hugged me.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize-" Hermione began, but was cut off by Madame Pomfrey who came running up to us.

"Out of the way!" she exclaimed, ushering me to a bed. "Looks like you're arm has popped out of it's socket and you have a cracked a rib, dear,"

"When'd I get that?" I asked out loud, meaning the cracked rib.

"She'll be alright?" Hermione asked as she sat down on the bed beside me and Harry moved closer.

"She'll be fine," she assured them as she handed me several potions to drink before she moved off to the next person.

"We'd probably all be dead if it weren't for the Felix Felicis," Hermione spoke up, looking up at Harry. "It was like the spells all seemed to just barely miss us," she told him.

"I must just have rotten luck regularly," I muttered, laying my head back against my pillow.

The doors of the hospital wing suddenly burst open, making me jump and my arm burst in pain. In came Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Fleur, her beautiful face struck with horror as they all looked about the room.

"Bill- Oh, Bill!" Mrs. Weasley ran down the aisle of beds as she caught sight of Bill's mangled face, pressing her lips to his bloody forehead.

"You said Greyback attacked him?" Mr. Weasley asked Lupin as he stared at his son. "But he wasn't transformed? So what will happen to him, then?"

"We don't know," Professor McGonagall said, looking at Lupin for help.

"There will probably be some contamination, Arthur," Lupin told him. "We don't know what he'll be like when he wakes up. It's an odd case,"

"And Dumbledore…" Mr. Weasley began. "Minerva, is he really…?"

Professor McGonagall just nodded solemnly.

"Dumbledore- gone," Mr. Weasley whispered in shock

Mrs. Weasley sniffed as she grabbed the ointment from Madame Pomfrey and began dabbing it on her son's wounds. "Of course… his looks don't really matter… but he was a very handsome little b-boy… always very handsome… he was g-going to b-be married!" she wailed.

"What do you mean by zat?" Fleur exclaimed. "What do you mean, 'he was going to be married'?"

Mrs. Weasley looked up, her tear stained face startled at her outburst. "Well, only that-" she began, but Fleur didn't let her finish.

"You think Bill will not wish to marry me anymore?" she demanded hotly. "You think that because of this, he will not love me?"

"Well, I thought, perhaps- given how- how he-"

"You thought I would not wish to marry him? Or perhaps- you hoped! I do not care how he looks! I am good looking enough for both of us! These scars only show that my husband is brave! I _shall_ marry Bill!" Fleur snatched the ointment from her and began to gently dab it on Bill's wounds.

No one dared move, as we were all waiting for the explosion. After a long pause full of dabbing, Mrs. Weasley finally broke the silence. "Our Great Auntie Muriel has a gorgeous tiara- goblin made- which I'm sure I could persuade her into lending you for the wedding. She's quite fond of Bill, you know, and it would look lovely with your hair,"

"Thank you," Fleur said stiffly. "Zat will be lovely,"

Suddenly, without any warning, they were crying and hugging each other. I looked to Hermione, unsure whether or not this was a delirious dream set by my potion. She seemed just as stunned as I was.

"See! She still wants to marry him, even though he's been bitten! She doesn't care!" Tonks (who I just noticed was also there) exclaimed, suddenly directing a glare at Lupin.

"It's different," Lupin said, "Bill won't be a full werewolf, the cases are completely-"

"But I don't care either, Remus! I never have!" Tonks exclaimed angrily grabbing the front of his robes in her small fists and started shaking him. "I've told you a million times-"

"And I've told _you_ a million times," Lupin interrupted. He wouldn't look at her, hemerely took Tonks' hands and removed them from his robes. "That I am too old for you, too poor... too dangerous..."

"I've said all along that you're being ridiculous, Remus," Mrs. Weasley said over Fleur's shoulder, still holding a meaningful hug.

"I'm not being ridiculous, she deserves someone whole," he said steadily, as if he had said this many times.

"But she wants you," Mr. Weasley smiled, "After all, whole men do not always necessarily remain so," he said, gesturing sadly toward Bill.

"This… This is not the time to discuss this," Lupin said, avoiding everyone's eyes, "Dumbledore is dead-"

"Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world," Professor McGonagall said bluntly.

"You know a song that fits your situation perfectly?" I butted in, getting everyone's surprised attention. "She Loves You, a muggle song by the Beatles. I mean, the title is self explanatory, Lupin. Stop being stupid or I'll start singing Kiss The Girl from the Little Mermaid! And we all know we all love that song so it won't take long to get the whole school singing it!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah, you should listen to her, Remus!" Tonks exclaimed shoving him a little as she let go of his robes a little roughly.

"Because she's sixteen years old and threatening to sing?"

"Well what would get through to you?" Tonks and I screamed, and possibly someone else, but I wasn't sure who it was, Molly or Ginny or Hermione or McGonagall or all of them.

"Look, Lupin," I sighed. "Typically, when a guy thinks that he is unworthy for a girl, or thinks he's to old of dangerous for her… that means that you care enough for her to think about that in the first place," I told him, standing up to poke him in the chest now that Tonks had stepped back. "Examples include; Arwen and Aragorn from the muggle book Lord of the Rings for the age issue. Wealth includes couples from every other muggle fairytale. And the danger factor includes the muggle couple Rogue and Gambit, and a few others I forget the names of. And you know what, the more they fought it, the more pain they were in… and they ended up together in the end anyway!" I exclaimed. "So suck it up and deal with it before the world ends!" I screamed.

I looked as everyone took a step back from me in surprise while Tonks just smiled at me and took a lock of hair off my shoulder, revealing the vibrant red color.

"Someone a little angry?" Tonks smiled before the smile dropped away and she looked up at Lupin with loving eyes, making me feel like I was intruding. "I love you, Remus. And no matter what you do I'm going to follow you around like a sad puppy dog for the rest of our lives," she told him, bringing a finger up to point at his chest. "So do us both a favor and stop with the noble crap and kiss me!" she growled, jabbing her finger into his chest.

Suddenly something in my old tutor's face as he looked down at her.

"Fine," he sighed, almost inaudibly. But the fact that only Tonks and I heard it didn't matter for long.

Lupin surged forward and attacked her with the most romantic kiss I had ever seen, and I immediately felt awkward for seeing it. But at the same time I smiled as I walked back over to my bed sitting down beside Harry.

"Finally,"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Indeed. I wish that had acutally happened, or that they had put more of Lupin and Tonks into the movies. It made me soooo mad when they didn't. GRRRR! <strong>

**Anyway... ****I'm trying to finish this tonight! Wish me luck and review!**

**And a special thank you to LittleMissMia123 who reads chapter two seconds after i post them and then reviews and comments on them. I love you!**


	19. You Need Us

**Author's Note: Almost done, and it's sort of bittersweet.**

* * *

><p>The next day the whole school was silent as we all mourned over Professor Dumbledore, but the silence was horrible and only made it all worse. Everyone packed, which was for once, a welcoming experience.<p>

Later that evening, Harry, Ron, Hermione and I walked up to the top of the Astronomy Tower together, and looked out over the Black Lake and the forests surrounding Hogwarts. It was quite beautiful really, but very quiet.

"Do you think he would have done it? Draco?" Hermione suddenly asked, after Harry had told his side of what had happened last night.

"No," Harry said with a shake of his head. "No, he was lowering his wand. In the end, it was Snape. It was always Snape. And I did nothing," I sighed took Harry's hand that was nearest to me in mine as he handed Hermione the locket Dumbledore and him had retrieved. "It's fake," he said quickly. "Open it,"

Hermione did, revealing a small note which she opened up and read to us.

"_To the Dark Lord. I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more_," she read. "_R. A. B_,"

All three of them looked over at me at the same time. I quickly raised my hands and shook my head. "I didn't do it," I said immediately, causing Ron and Hermione to chuckle.

"We know," Harry smiled taking my hand in his again. "But whoever R.A.B. really is, the have the real horcrux. Which means it was all a waste. All of it,"

We stood there for a long moment, in a sad depressing silence before Hermione spoke up. "Ron's okay with it, you know," Hermione smiled over at the two of us. "You two. But if I were you, when he's around, I'd keep the snogging to a minimum,"

Harry chuckled and let go of my hand to wrap an arm around my waist. "Alright, but how about you do me a favor?" I asked Hermione, leaning forward so I could see Hermione. "When Harry and I are around, keep the snogging to a minimum. Please," I smiled, getting Harry to chuckled again.

Hermione just scoffed, and turned away from us. "Yeah, like that's going to happen. Besides, he's barking,"

"Funny, he says the same thing about you," Harry put in, making me chuckle.

"Yes, but I'm exceptionally perceptive," Hermione tried, only making her smile grow bigger.

"You're brilliant. You're both brilliant," Harry smiled, looking back over his shoulder at Ron, before turning back to me. "I'm not coming back here," he said, mostly to me, but the comment didn't surprise me. "I've got to finish whatever Dumbledore started and I don't know where that'll lead me but I'll let you know where I am when I can," he told me.

I raised an eyebrow at him and stepped away from him to eye him, much like how Tonks had done to Lupin last night in the hospital wing. "I've always admired your courage, Harry, but sometimes you can be really thick," I told him. "You don't really think you're going to be able to find all those horcruxes by yourself, do you? Not to mention I will put a Fixing Jinx on the two of us so that we'd be stuck together. You aren't going anywhere without Ron or Hermione or me especially!" I exclaimed before Hermione walked over beside me.

"You need us, Harry," she told him.

Harry looked between the two of us before he sighed in defeat and Hermione smiled, happily, walking over to sit next to Ron as Harry wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me back toward him. "I never realized how beautiful this place was," Harry smiled as he looked down at me. "Mostly right here," he said as he kissed me on the nose.

"That has got to be the most cheesiest thing I have ever heard exit that mouth, Harry Potter, and I have known you for an awfully long time… but somehow, it worked," I smiled before kissing him full on the mouth, even with the gagging sounds in the background, courtesy of Ron. I sweetly showed him the birdy as I continued to kiss Harry as Fawkes flew by, singing Dumbledore's lament.

**THE END  
><strong>_For now…_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Next to come is <em>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1<em> (and then later #2)**

**_WARNING_: If you had heart problems waiting for this story, you might want someone with nurse training sitting next to you at all times for this next story. This next one is really going to take a whil mostly because i hate putting storoes up chapter by chapter. So i just wanted to warn you (especially LittleMissMia123 who likes to write in all caps)**

**I'm sorry about the ending on this one guys, but the movie had one of those endings that doesn't work for when you're writing stories so i ended it like that (look to the above text). If y'all have a good suggestion on a different way to end it i'd love to hear it. **

**Anyway... review! Thank you for reading!**


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